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Infestation of Tuta absoluta on tomato plants of the experimental farms at Umiam (Meghalaya state, India). A. Infested stem, B. Infested fruit, C. Infested leaves, D. Heavily infested plant.
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The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera:
Gelechidae), although made its first entry in continental India in 2014, has not been reported
occurring in northeastern areas of the country. For the first time, we recorded T. absoluta infes-
tation in tomato plants in the Meghalaya state of India. The identification was c...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... of T. absoluta were observed in the pheromone traps for the first time during January 2017 at experimental farm at Umiam. The infestations of T. absoluta larvae were also observed in tomato plots at experimental farms of ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya (Fig. 1). The identification was confirmed by external morphological characters and CO-I DNA barcoding as mentioned in the section 3.3. During the survey, mild to severe infestation of T. absoluta has been observed on tomato plants in our experimental farms located at Umiam and tomato plants in adjoining villages viz., Umroi Nongrah, Nongsder ...
Context 2
... farms located at Umiam and tomato plants in adjoining villages viz., Umroi Nongrah, Nongsder and Mawnohsynrum. The larvae were found infesting tomato leaves and fruits of the varieties Megha tomato 3, Avinash, Rocky and other genotypes. Larvae feed on mesophyll tissues in between upper and lower leaf epidermis causing typical mines on the leaves (Fig. 1). Infested fruits had holes, and larvae were found feeding on the pulp, potentially leading to secondary infection by the pathogens. Except in the Umiam site, very few plants were found infested by this pest at other locations. Because, northeastern India shares international borders with many countries, the Fig. 2 shows the possible ...
Context 3
... of T. absoluta were observed in the pheromone traps for the first time during January 2017 at experimental farm at Umiam. The infestations of T. absoluta larvae were also observed in tomato plots at experimental farms of ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Umiam, Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya (Fig. 1). The identification was confirmed by external morphological characters and CO-I DNA barcoding as mentioned in the section 3.3. During the survey, mild to severe infestation of T. absoluta has been observed on tomato plants in our experimental farms located at Umiam and tomato plants in adjoining villages viz., Umroi Nongrah, Nongsder ...
Context 4
... farms located at Umiam and tomato plants in adjoining villages viz., Umroi Nongrah, Nongsder and Mawnohsynrum. The larvae were found infesting tomato leaves and fruits of the varieties Megha tomato 3, Avinash, Rocky and other genotypes. Larvae feed on mesophyll tissues in between upper and lower leaf epidermis causing typical mines on the leaves (Fig. 1). Infested fruits had holes, and larvae were found feeding on the pulp, potentially leading to secondary infection by the pathogens. Except in the Umiam site, very few plants were found infested by this pest at other locations. Because, northeastern India shares international borders with many countries, the Fig. 2 shows the possible ...
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The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is a devastating invasive pest of tomato crops in several areas around the world including Africa. Here, we comprehensively review and discuss the relevant scientific knowledge on its occurrence, biological and ecological aspects, fortuitous insect natural enemie...
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The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) 1 (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is an invasive destructive pest of tomato and other 2 solanaceous plants. Since its first detection in Spain in 2006, the pest has started its 3 invasion across the Afro-Eurasian supercontinent. Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous 4 Region of China, adjacent to the recen...
The introduction of South American tomato pinworm Tuta absoluta in Nepal is rather recent. The study was carried out in Shivapuri and Panchakanya Rural Municipalities of Nuwakot district from January to May, 2018 to understand effects and control measures adopted in addressing this insect. Seventy households which were involved in tomato cultivatio...
Citations
... On the other hand, regions in India such as the Western Ghats and northeast did not experience FD events. Sankarganesh et al. (2017) found that the country's northeast regions (such as Brahmaputra and Barak basins) are one of the most ecologically rich areas, where the vegetation can tolerate and withstand intense variations in soil moisture. Nevertheless, it was observed that most river basins in India were susceptible to frequent and extended FDs during the transition from winter to premonsoon season between 1981 and 2021, as illustrated in Figs. ...
Flash droughts (FDs) have attracted widespread attention in recent years due to their sudden onset and rapid intensification with significant impacts on ecosystems, water resources, and agriculture. These features of FDs pose unique challenges for their forecast, monitoring, and mitigation. The impact of FDs on society can vary depending on several factors, such as the frequency of their occurrence, rate of intensification, and mean severity, which are not well understood and remain unclear specifically over India. This study developed a novel approach to quantitatively define FD based on the aridity index. This new approach was used to examine spatiotemporal characteristics (including trends) and triggers of FDs over 25 river basins across India from 1981 to 2021. The hydrometeorological conditions, including soil moisture percentiles, anomalies of precipitation, temperature, and vapor pressure deficit were investigated at different stages of FD. Results suggest that FDs with high intensification rates are more common in humid areas compared to subhumid and semiarid areas. Both precipitation and temperature are primary triggers of FDs over a major part of the study area. The individual effects of soil moisture and precipitation also act as a trigger across some regions (like northeast India and the Western Ghats). Additionally, atmospheric aridity can create conditions conducive to FDs, and when combined with depleted soil moisture, it can accelerate their rapid onset. Besides the scientific novelty, the findings of this study will facilitate policymakers to formulate effective strategies to mitigate the consequences of FDs on water resources and agriculture in India.
Significance Statement
Flash droughts have attracted widespread attention due to their sudden onset and rapid intensification with significant impacts on multiple vectors. The impact of flash drought on society depends on their frequency, rate of intensification, and mean severity, which are not well understood and remain unclear specifically over India. This study develops a novel approach to quantitatively define flash drought based on the aridity index. This new approach is used to examine spatiotemporal characteristics and triggers of flash drought over 25 river basins across India from 1981 to 2021. Besides the scientific novelty, the findings of this study will facilitate policymakers to formulate effective strategies to mitigate the consequences of FDs on water resources and agriculture in India.
... In India, T. absoluta was first reported in 2014 in Maharashtra and has since spread to key tomato-growing regions like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat (Ballal et al., 2016), Andhra Pradesh, Telangana (Kumari et al., 2014), New Delhi , Madhya Pradesh (Swathi et al., 2017), Punjab (Sidhu et al., 2017), Meghalaya (Sankarganesh et al., 2017), Himachal Pradesh (Sharma and Gavkare, 2017), and Uttarakhand (Singh and Panchbhaiya, 2018). The exact entry route into India remains uncertain, likely facilitated by unrestricted agricultural trade between states and prevailing wind patterns . ...
Tuta absoluta, known as the South American tomato leaf miner, significantly impacts tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum) economically on a global scale. This pest, belonging to the Gelechiidae family, is native to South America and was first identified in Peru in 1917. Since its discovery, T. absoluta has rapidly spread to Europe, Africa, and Asia, severely threatening tomato production in these regions. The widespread application of chemical pesticides against this pest has resulted in significant environmental harm, including contamination of soil and water, and has had negative effects on non-target species such as beneficial insects, birds, and aquatic life. Although substantial research has been conducted, biological control methods for T. absoluta remain insufficient, necessitating further study. This review covers the Biology, Classification, and Entomopathogen-Based Management of T. absoluta (Meyrick) in Asia. It provides essential insights into the pest’s life cycle, ecological impacts, and the potential of entomopathogens as biocontrol agents. The detailed information presented aims to facilitate the development of sustainable pest control strategies, minimizing environmental impact and promoting the use of entomopathogens as viable alternatives to chemical pesticides in controlling T. absoluta insect pest.
... uta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), commonly referred to as the tomato leaf miner, is a South American tomato pinworm that mostly feeds on tomatoes and other solanaceous crops like eggplant, chili, etc. Tomato crops around the world are seriously threatened by this extremely destructive oligophagous insect, which can cause losses of up to 100% (Sankarganesh et al., 2017). Its rapid reproduction, short lifecycle, and increasing resistance to different insecticides make it a T Keywords OPEN ACCESS www.vigyanvarta.com ...
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) ranks among the world's most significant vegetables in both harvested quantity and cultivated area. However, its production faces significant challenges, particularly from biotic stresses such as insect pests and diseases. Among these, the tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), has emerged as a major invasive pest. The larvae infest tomato plants, feeding on fleshy leaves, fruits, and stems, resulting in extensive damage. Despite efforts to control its damage, including chemical treatments, the pinworm has developed resistance, exacerbating challenges for farmers. Effective Integrated pest management (IPM) approaches are essential for mitigating the damage caused by these pests and ensuring the sustainability of tomato cultivation.
... However, it also showed its potential to survive and reproduce on other plants of Solanaceae family especially potato, brinjal, pepper, tobacco, litchi and potato (Desneux et al., 2010), Amaranthaceae i.e., Lambs' quarters, sugar beet (Portakaldali et al., 2013), Fabaceae i.e., common bean (Wyckhuys et al., 2013), and Convolvulaceae i.e., Field and Bindweed (Portakaldali et al., 2013). Besides above-mentioned host plants from the main cultivated families, it also showed its survival on other wild host plants such as alfalfa, prickly amaranth, fierce thornapple, hairy potato, cut-leaf groundcherry and others (Campos et al., 2017;Sankarganesh et al., 2017;Guimapi et al., 2020;Mansour et al., 2018;Bastola et al., 2020). ...
The invasive tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta has recently invaded tomato growing areas of lower Sindh, hence endangered its productivity and quality. Besides tomatoes, T. absoluta also damage on other solanaceous crops of the economic importance. Therefore, a study was carried out at a farmer's field in Shaheed Benazir Abad to determine the feeding preference of T. absoluta on tomato, potato, brinjal, chilies, and peppers. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with five replications maintained for each treatment host. The data was collected from ten randomly selected plants per replication of each plant by counting the number of infested fruits and leaves based on T. absoluta characteristics mines. Weather data was also obtained to determine its influence on the T. abslouta infestation on various hosts evaluated. The study results confirmed that T. absoluta infested leaves of all the tested host plants, whereas it only damaged fruits of tomatoes. An increasing trend in T. absoluta infestation was recorded in all the host plants with their growth with comparatively rapid infestation recorded in tomato leaves and fruits. Overall results confirmed a highly significant difference in the infestation percentage of T. absoluta on different hosts as the highest (22.91±0.67%) and lowest (1.44±0.06%) infestation percentage was recorded on tomato leaves and chilies, respectively, whereas 5.02±0.19, 4.07±0.14, 2.52±0.11, and 7.64±0.34% infestation was observed on brinjal, potatoes, peppers, and tomato fruits, respectively. All the weather parameters i.e., temperature, relative humidity, and wind velocity elicited a weak to moderate, but significant impact on the mean T. absoluta infestation percentage in the studied host plants. Thus, study concluded that tomato was found to be preferred host for T. absoluat with brinjal and potato being its preferred alternative hosts. Therefore, it is recommended that further studies should be conducted to determine the overall host range of T. absoluta in Sindh along with their impacts on its biological parameters to restrict it spread and adopt adequate management.
... The South American tomato pinworm was recorded for the first time in India in 2014 (Sankarganesh et al., 2017). The fall armyworm was first noticed in the Indian subcontinent in Bengaluru Rural and Chikkaballapur districts from May to June 2018 (Ganiger et al., 2018) and South Karnataka during the first fortnight of July 2018 (ICAR-NBAIR Pest Alert, 2018). ...
The research and development efforts coupled with suitable policies over decades have resulted in India becoming self-reliant in food grain production. However, the rising incidence of extreme weather events due to climate change and climatic variability over the last few decades could impact the food security of the country. The impact of these events could result in increased frequency of dry spells and floods; multiple stresses in a given season; emergence of new pests/biovars; soil health deterioration; reduced animal and poultry productivity; changes in fish species diversity; and disrupted market services. Efforts at the regional/agro-ecology level to minimize the adverse impacts through adaptation strategies have shown positive results. These efforts included a demonstration of selected technologies, enhancing awareness about impacts to the stakeholders, and operationalization of agricultural contingency plans. New investments and research-extension-policy networks over the last decade by the government of India have shown impressive results with a possibility of developing ‘Climate smart village clusters’. To ensure resilience coupled with sustainable profitability, thrust should be laid to investing on infrastructure for advanced research, packaging of farming system/agro-ecology-specific adaptation strategies, state-of-the-art knowledge management systems, skill development programs and enabling policy framework.
... In India, it was first reported in 2014 in a tomato field in Maharashtra. It is currently widespread in most tomato-growing parts of India, including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat(Ballal et al., 2016), Andhra Pradesh, Telangana(Kumari et al., 2015), New Delhi, Madhya Pradesh(Swathi et al., 2017), Punjab(Sidhu et al., 2017), Meghalaya(Sankarganesh et al., 2017), Himachal Pradesh(Sharma & Gavkare, 2017), and Uttarakhand ...
South American tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is native to South America, but is a major invasive and quarantine pest species in Europe, Africa, and Asia. It causes extensive damage of up to 100% yield loss in tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) in open and greenhouse conditions. Since its first invasion in Spain in 2006, it has spread rapidly into many countries in the Mediterranean and Western Europe and further invaded Africa and Asia. In Asia, it was first recorded in August 2009 in Turkey and spread to most South and East Asian countries. In this study, we reviewed existing work on the biology and distribution of T. absoluta in Asia, as well as the damage it causes. This review will help to develop efficient management tactics as well as establish quarantine and phytosanitary precautions in uninvaded countries.
... Similarly, the pupal period was longest (10.4 days) on tomato leaves and shortest on potato tubers, pepino and brinjal leaves (Negi et al., 2018). In Northeast state (Meghalaya) T. absoluta infestation increased from January to April and this may be due to a combination of host suitability and a rise in temperature between January and April, which could have an effect on infestation rates (Sankarganesh et al., 2017). ...
Tomato has extremely important health benefits which make it an important crop all around the world. Among several insect pests of tomato, Tuta absoluta is the most devastating pest. This insect-pest has become one of the leading pests of tomato plants in recent years. The yield losses are often in the range of 80-100%. Larval stages of Tuta absoluta are by far the most destructive stage of the insect because of its feeding habits. The neonate larvae feed on tomato fruits, leaves, flower buds and young shoots. Several chemical insecticides are used against this pest but resistance development to insecticides was reported. There is need of integrated pest management to control the pest population. This review discusses about the harmful effect of chemical pesticides and alternative methods to control Tuta absoluta population. Different methods of pest control include botanical control, biological control and new emerging techniques of green synthesized nanoparticles.
... Asia has also experienced a rapid spread since its first detection in Turkey (2009) [22]. It reached western and eastern India in 2014 and 2017 respectively [23]. It has been detected in many Asian countries like Iran, Bangladesh, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Nepal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Yemen where it has been officially reported [24]. ...
Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), Tomato Leaf Miner (TLM) moth, is one of the notorious oligophagous pests of solanaceous crops that mines primarily on mesophyll of leaves as
well bore tomato fruits. In Nepal, T. absoluta, the pest that has a potential to create loss up to 100%, was detected in 2016 in a commercial tomato farm at Kathmandu. So, the farmers and researchers must heed for effective management contrivance to improve the yield of tomato in Nepal. The devastating nature of T. absoluta causes its unusual proliferation so that it needs dire study of its host range, potential damage and sustainable management strategies. We discussed the data and information on T. absoluta available in several research papers comprehensively and provided succinct information on occurrence of T. absoluta in the world, its biology, life cycle, host plants, yield loss due to T. absoluta and several novel control tactics which helps farmers, researchers, policy makers to sustainably rise the tomato production in Nepal as well as in global context to attain food security. Sustainable pest management strategies such as Integrated Pests Management
(IPM) approaches incorporating and prioritizing biological control methods with usage of chemical pesticides with less toxic active ingredient can be encouraged to the farmers for controlling
the pests sustainably.
... After invading Europe in 2006, this pest spread quickly to Afro-Eurasian supercontinent, and now has been recorded in more than 90 countries and regions outside South America (Biondi et al., 2018;Desneux et al., 2022). In Asia, T. absoluta has been found in many countries (Campos et al., 2017;Han et al., 2019), including countries on the northwestern and southwestern border of China, e.g., Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Nepal, etc. (Campos et al., 2017;Sankarganesh et al., 2017;Uulu et al., 2017;Saidov et al., 2018). Recently, this pest was found in northwest China in Xinjiang Li X. W. et al., 2019;Zhang et al., 2019) and southwest China in Yunnan (Zhang et al., 2020), and has quickly spread to 14 provinces in China mainland, poses a significant threat to China's tomato production . ...
Introduction
Tuta absoluta is currently considered one of the most devastating invasive pests of solanaceous plants worldwide, causing severe damage to the tomato industry. Insects use volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to locate host plant for feeding and oviposition. Those VOCs could be developed as lures for pest monitoring and control.
Methods
In this study, the differentially accumulated VOCs between the preferred host (tomato) and non-preferred host (eggplant) were analyzed by GC–MS method, and their roles on female T. absoluta host selection and egg laying behaviors were investigated using electroantennography (EAG), olfactometer and cage experiments.
Results
A total of 39 differentially accumulated VOCs were identified in tomato and eggplant. Strong EAG signals were obtained in 9 VOCs, including 5 VOCs highly accumulated in tomato and 4 VOCs highly accumulated in eggplant. Further olfactometer bioassays showed that 4 compounds (1-nonanol, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl octanoate and o-nitrophenol) were attractive to T. absoluta females, while 5 compounds (2-phenylethanol, 2-pentylfuran, trans,trans-2,4-nonadienal, 2-ethyl-5-methylpyrazine and trans-2-nonenal) were repellent, indicating that VOCs from host plants play important roles in host plant preferences. The attractive activities of 1-nonanol and ethyl octanoate, as well as the repellent activities of trans,trans-2,4-nonadienal and trans-2-nonenal, were further confirmed in cage experiments.
Discussion
In this study, two attractants and two repellents for T. absoluta were developed from plant released VOCs. Our results could be useful to enhance the development of eco-friendly and sustainable pest management strategies for T. absoluta .
... Asia has also experienced a rapid spread since its first detection in Turkey (2009) [22]. It reached western and eastern India in 2014 and 2017 respectively [23]. It has been detected in many Asian countries like Iran, Bangladesh, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Nepal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Yemen where it has been officially reported [24]. ...
