Seasonal activity of Serpentine leaf miner, Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) and its control using ecofriendly insecticides on Tomato crop
The serpentine leaf miner, Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) believed to be an accidental introduction into India was recorded on 70 host plants covering fibre crops, pulses, vegetables, ornamentals, green manures, fodder crop etc. According to ICAR survey, tomato is more susceptible host to this pest. Farmers in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu have reported 25 % losses in tomato crop due to the attack by this fly. Wide scale and indiscriminate use of convential insecticides have been responsible for outbreaks of Liriomyza trifolli and it also causes problems like resistance, health hazards to man, animals and environmental pollution. In this current era of IPM, emphasis is on ecologically safer insecticides, which ensure effectiveness, safety and acceptability to mankind.
Test on efficacy of certain eco-friendly insecticides against Liriomyza trifolli was done on tomato crop. The pest infestation was noticed in nursery stage of tomato crop. The leaf infestation initially was 14.3 % and it gradually increased and reached the peak of 52.2 % at 49th meteorological week (2001). The mean larval population was 10.2 % larvae per leaf in the beginning and attained its peak of 56.2 % larvae per leaf during 49th meteorological week (2001). When leaf infestation (%) and pest population were correlated with meteorological parameters, it can be seen that both were positively correlated with maximum temperature and sunshine hours and negatively correlated with relative humidity and minimum temperature.
Regarding trials made to control the pest, neem seed kernel extract 4% gave the best results since it caused 80.42 % larval mortality. The next effective insecticide was multineem 5% recording 74.56% larval mortality followed by neem seed kernel extract 105 (71.65%). Multineem 10% showed phytotoxicity effect on tomato plants.
Source
Agriculture Sprayers and Dusters by ASPEE Group Of Companies, India. www.aspee.com
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This article is written by Ms. R. Ashalatha of Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vidyapeeth, Jabalpur on behalf of ASPEE Agriculture Research and Development Foundation. ASPEE Group of Companies is the leading manufacturer and exporter of Agriculture Sprayers and Dusters
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