Pest management strategies for sub-Saharan Africa
Control measures for the tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta
The review, published in the open access African Journal of Agricultural Research, outlines the spread and economic importance of the pest, particularly in relation to sub-Saharan Africa. Tuta absoluta will infest other crops, but is primarily a pest of tomatoes. Smallholder farmers in parts of sub-Saharan Africa rely on growing tomatoes, but production declined by 50% in 2016 in Tanzania due to losses caused by the pest and the reluctance of farmers to grow tomatoes in the face of possible devastation and increased costs associated with controlling the pest. Economic losses of up to 100% have been reported in some sub-Saharan countries, and Nigeria declared a ‘state of emergency’ in the tomato sector in Kaduna State last year due to the effects of the leafminer.
Pest management options are described in the review, including the use of chemical and botanical insecticides, biocontrol using entomopathogens and parasitoids, pheromone traps for pest monitoring, and use of resistant tomato varieties.
An environmentally friendly and economically viable IPM strategy for sub-Saharan Africa is proposed, based on using native entomopathogens and endophytes, pheromone traps, plant extracts, and minimal use of chemical pesticides. In the longer term, use of resistant tomato varieties could be the most sustainable option.
There are over 440 records on the database on all aspects of control of Tuta absoluta (search "Tuta absoluta" AND control). For a more specific search for studies on resistance in tomatoes, including resistant tomato varieties and germplasm, search "Tuta absoluta" AND tomatoes AND "pest resistance".
The earliest record on the database dates back to 1958, and indicates a control method suggested at that time for this pest in Peru, where it was first identified.
The most recent distribution records show the pest has now been confirmed in Tanzania, Uganda, the Azores, and northern India.
Source: CABI