Abstract
Abstract Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is among the most devastating pests worldwide of solanaceous plants, particularly of tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.). Since its recent introduction into sub‐Saharan Africa, it has become an additional widespread tomato pest throughout the region. When no control measures are taken, yield losses caused by T. absoluta larvae can reach 100%. Chemical control remains the primary management option despite its many adverse effects and increasing inefficiency due to the species’ endophytic habits and ability to develop insecticide resistance. Safer and more effective alternatives are therefore urgently required. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of two bioinsecticides compared to that of a widely used deltamethrin‐based synthetic insecticide, in preventing damage caused by T. absoluta larvae to tomato leaves and fruits, thereby affecting tomato yield. A field trial was conducted in 2018 and 2019 in northwestern Senegal using a randomized complete block design. Damage caused by T. absoluta affected approximately 65% of total leaf area and 3–24% of the fruits. Damage to the leaves caused by other insect species or other factors was less significant. At the dose applied, the chemical insecticide did not significantly reduce the surface area of leaflets affected by T. absoluta or other causal agents, the number of T. absoluta mines on the leaflets, or the proportion of fruits damaged. In contrast, the azadirachtin and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) formulations rapidly and significantly reduced damage to both leaves and fruits. The proportion of fruits damaged was reduced by a factor two and the total tomato yield was improved, particularly when the Bt formulation was used. In addition to their effectiveness in reducing damage caused by T. absoluta larvae to tomato leaves and fruit, and increasing the yield of marketable fruits, the viability of these organic alternatives was shown. The scope of our results is discussed in the context of T. absoluta control, in particular in integrated pest management programmes for tomato crops.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
The chemical insecticide at the applied dose did not significantly reduce leaflet area affected by T. absoluta or other causal agents, the number of T. absoluta mines, or the proportion of damaged fruits.
- Taxon
- tomato
Solanum lycopersicumt0 - Treatment
- chemical insecticidee1
- Interactor
- T. absoluta
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Tuta absolutae1pest - Outcome
- the surface area of leaflets affected by T. absoluta or other causal agents, the number of T. absoluta mines on the leaflets, or the proportion of fruits damagede1
- Direction
- did not significantly reducee1
- Qualifier
- At the dose appliede1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
t0“invasive tomato pest Tuta absoluta”
e1“At the dose applied, the chemical insecticide did not significantly reduce the surface area of leaflets affected by T. absoluta or other causal agents, the number of T. absoluta mines on the leaflets, or the proportion of fruits damaged”
Claim · model-written summary
The azadirachtin formulation rapidly and significantly reduced T. absoluta damage to tomato leaves and fruits, compared with a deltamethrin-based synthetic insecticide.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- azadirachtine1
- Outcome
- damage to both leaves and fruitse1
- Direction
- reducede1
- Qualifier
- rapidlye1
- Comparator
- deltamethrin‐based synthetic insecticidee2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“invasive tomato pest Tuta absoluta”
e1“the azadirachtin and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) formulations rapidly and significantly reduced damage to both leaves and fruits”
e2“compared to that of a widely used deltamethrin‐based synthetic insecticide”
Claim · model-written summary
The Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) formulation rapidly and significantly reduced T. absoluta damage to tomato leaves and fruits, compared with a deltamethrin-based synthetic insecticide.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)e1
- Outcome
- damage to both leaves and fruitse1
- Direction
- reducede1
- Qualifier
- rapidlye1
- Comparator
- deltamethrin‐based synthetic insecticidee2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“invasive tomato pest Tuta absoluta”
e1“the azadirachtin and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) formulations rapidly and significantly reduced damage to both leaves and fruits”
e2“compared to that of a widely used deltamethrin‐based synthetic insecticide”
Claim · model-written summary
Damage caused by T. absoluta affected approximately 65% of total tomato leaf area.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Interactor
- T. absolutaTuta absolutae1pest
- Outcome
- Damage caused by T. absolutae1
- Value
- approximately 65% of total leaf areae1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“invasive tomato pest Tuta absoluta”
e1“Damage caused by T. absoluta affected approximately 65% of total leaf area and 3–24% of the fruits”
Claim · model-written summary
Damage caused by T. absoluta affected 3–24% of tomato fruits.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Interactor
- T. absolutaTuta absolutae1pest
- Outcome
- Damage caused by T. absolutae1
- Value
- 3–24%e1
- Qualifier
- of the fruitse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“invasive tomato pest Tuta absoluta”
e1“Damage caused by T. absoluta affected approximately 65% of total leaf area and 3–24% of the fruits”
Claim · model-written summary
Damage to tomato leaves caused by other insect species or other factors was less significant than damage by T. absoluta.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Outcome
- Damage to the leaves caused by other insect species or other factorse1
- Direction
- less significante1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“invasive tomato pest Tuta absoluta”
e1“Damage to the leaves caused by other insect species or other factors was less significant”
Claim · model-written summary
The proportion of damaged fruits was reduced by a factor of two by the azadirachtin and Bt formulations.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Treatment
- the azadirachtin and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) formulationse2
- Outcome
- The proportion of fruits damagede1
- Direction
- reducede1
- Value
- a factor twoe1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“invasive tomato pest Tuta absoluta”
e1“The proportion of fruits damaged was reduced by a factor two”
e2“the azadirachtin and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) formulations”
Claim · model-written summary
Total tomato yield was improved, particularly when the Bt formulation was used.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicume1
- Treatment
- Bt formulatione1
- Outcome
- total tomato yielde1
- Direction
- improvede1
- Qualifier
- particularly when the Bt formulation was usede1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“the total tomato yield was improved, particularly when the Bt formulation was used”
Claim · model-written summary
The organic alternatives increased the yield of marketable tomato fruits.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicume1
- Treatment
- these organic alternativese1
- Outcome
- yield of marketable fruitse1
- Direction
- increasinge1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“In addition to their effectiveness in reducing damage caused by T. absoluta larvae to tomato leaves and fruit, and increasing the yield of marketable fruits, the viability of these organic alternatives was shown”
Claim · model-written summary
The viability of the organic alternatives (azadirachtin and Bt) as tomato pest control was shown.
- Taxon
- tomatoSolanum lycopersicumt0
- Outcome
- viability of these organic alternativese1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“invasive tomato pest Tuta absoluta”
e1“the viability of these organic alternatives was shown”
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