Pheromone tools for early detection and control of the invasive tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta

The tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is a serious pest of tomato and other solanaceous crops. Damaging larval mining activity extends to all portions of the plant including fruit, and spans the entire plant growth cycle. Damage can reach 100% in severely infested areas, causing substantial crop loss. Intensive insecticide use to control this pest has generated numerous cases of resistance including pyrethroids, methamidophos and cartap in South American countries. In 2006, T. absoluta was first reported on tomato crops in Spain, and has since spread rapidly throughout Europe, including France, Italy, Tunisia, Malta, Libya, United Kingdom, Greece, and Switzerland. The US faces new restrictions on shipments of field-grown tomatoes from some European countries in hopes of preventing the establishment of this devastating pest. The major component of the sex pheromone of T. absoluta, (3E,8Z,11Z)-3,8,11-tetradecatrien-1-yl acetate, was identified by Attygalle et al. in 1995. It has since been patented and used in the development of effective, environmentally friendly tools for early detection and control of T. absoluta. Here we present the results of field trials conducted in 2009 in South American tomato fields to test the efficacy of ISCALure Tuta for attraction of T. absoluta both for monitoring and mass trapping, as well as SPLAT Tuta A&K for specific attraction and killing action in large scale field plots. Results indicate both products provided effective attraction and control of T. absoluta in tomatoes.