Ppt on Major Insect Pests Of Tomato And Their Management

• Tomato is affected by several insect pests causing significant yield losses.
• Pests damage leaves, stems, flowers, and fruits, reducing quality and market value.
• Effective management requires knowledge of pest identification, biology, and control methods.
• Integrated pest management (IPM) is recommended for sustainable control.

• Major pest of tomato; also attacks tur, gram, and other crops.
• Widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions.

Identification:

• Caterpillar: Varying color, radiating hairs, brown to greenish with dark lines.
• Moth: Stout, light yellowish-brown, forewings with dark spot, hindwings smoky white with black border.

Life Cycle:

• Eggs laid on tender plant parts.
• Larval period: 18–25 days; pupates in soil.
• Total life cycle: ~30–40 days.

Nature of Damage:

• Larvae bore circular holes in fruits, feed on inner contents.
• Secondary infection by fungi and bacteria common.
• One larva can damage multiple fruits.

• Collect and destroy infested fruits and larvae.
• Intercrop tomato with marigold (1:16 rows) to attract and trap adults.
• Plough fields post-harvest to expose and destroy pupae.
• Install pheromone traps (Helilure) at 12/ha.
• Grow resistant varieties (e.g., Rupali, Roma, Pusa Red Plume).
• Spray Bacillus thuringiensis 2g/litre.
• Release Trichogramma pretiosum or T. chilonis for egg parasitism.
• Spray HaNPV @ 250 LE/ha for biological control.
• Release Chrysoperla carnea larvae for predator control.

Chemical Control:

• Azadirachtin 1% EC: 2 ml/litre
• Indoxacarb 14.5% SC: 8 ml/10 litres
• Flubendiamide 20 WG: 5 g/10 litres
• Novaluron 10% EC: 7.5 ml/10 litres
• Phosalone 35% EC: 13 ml/10 litres
• Quinalphos 25% EC: 1 ml/litre

• Larva: Minute, orange-yellow, legless maggots.
• Pupa: Yellowish-brown, found in soil or leaves.
• Adult: Small, pale yellow flies.

Life Cycle:

• Eggs laid singly on upper leaf surface.
• Larval period: 7–10 days; pupates in soil or leaves.
• Total life cycle: ~3 weeks.

Nature of Damage:

• Maggots mine between leaf epidermal layers, creating serpentine trails.
• Severe infestation causes leaf drying and drop.

Management:

• Collect and destroy mined leaves.
• Spray neem seed kernel extract (NSKE) 5%.

• Small grey-brown moth; larvae are cream to greenish with dark head.

Nature of Damage:

• Larvae mine leaves, stems, and fruits, causing blotches and galleries.
• Fruit damage leads to secondary infections and yield loss.

Management:

• Use pheromone traps for monitoring and mass trapping.
• Remove and destroy infested plant parts.
• Apply biologicals (e.g., Bacillus thuringiensis).
• Use selective insecticides as per recommendations.

• Eggs: Pear-shaped, light yellow.
• Nymphs: Oval, scale-like, greenish-white.
• Adults: Tiny, white, scale-like insects.

Nature of Damage:

• Nymphs and adults suck sap, causing chlorosis and leaf curling.
• Vector of tomato leaf curl virus.

Management:

• Uproot and destroy diseased plants.
• Remove alternate weed hosts (e.g., Abutilon indicum).
• Use yellow sticky traps (12/ha).
• Apply carbofuran 3% G @ 40 kg/ha or recommended insecticides.

Chemical Control:

• Dimethoate 30% EC: 1 ml/litre
• Malathion 50% EC: 1.5 ml/litre
• Oxydemeton-methyl 25% EC: 1 ml/litre
• Thiamethoxam 25% WG: 4 ml/10 litres

• Nymphs and adults suck sap from leaves and stems.
• Plants turn yellow, become deformed, and may dry up.
• Honeydew secretion promotes sooty mould, reducing photosynthesis.

Management:

• Seed treatment with imidacloprid or thiamethoxam.
• Use yellow sticky traps.
• Spray recommended systemic insecticides if needed.

• Nymphs: Yellowish.
• Adults: Dark with fringed wings.

Nature of Damage:

• Silvery streaks on leaves, premature flower drop, bud necrosis.
• Vector of tomato spotted wilt virus.

Management:

• Uproot and destroy diseased plants.
• Use yellow sticky traps (15/ha).
• Release Chrysoperla carnea larvae (10,000/ha).
• Spray methyl demeton 25 EC or dimethoate 30 EC @ 1 litre/ha.

• Eggs: Hyaline, globular, laid in masses.
• Nymphs: Yellowish.
• Adults: Small, red.

Nature of Damage:

• Leaves become reddish-brown, bronzed, and dry.
• Webbing on leaves; severe infestations reduce flower and fruit set.

Management:

• Spray wettable sulphur 50 WP @ 2 g/litre.
• Spray dicofol 18.5 EC @ 2.5 ml/litre.

• Monitor pest populations regularly using traps and field scouting.
• Adopt cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical control methods in combination.
• Use resistant varieties and maintain field hygiene.
• Apply pesticides judiciously to avoid resistance and residue problems.
• Promote natural enemies and minimize ecological disruption.