Bioassay of three solanaceous weeds as alternative hosts for the invasive tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and insights on their carryover potential
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2016Cita bibliográfica
Abbes, K., Harbi, A., Elimem, M., Hafsi, A., & Chermiti, B. (2016). Bioassay of three solanaceous weeds as alternative hosts for the invasive tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and insights on their carryover potential. African Entomology, 24(2), 334-342.Abstract
Reservoir host plants can play a critical role in the maintenance and spread of invasive
agricultural insect pests, particularly when the pest species attacks a wide range of host
plants, is ecologically plastic and demonstrates high reproductive fitness. The tomato
leafminer, Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), fits well within this category of
alien pests. Indeed, this moth has become, in a very short period, the main phytosanitary
factor limiting tomato production in the world. In addition, it is becoming a potential pest of
potato crops. Among reported host weeds of this insect, Solanum nigrum L., Datura
stramonium L. and Datura ferox L. are widely distributed in both T. absoluta‘s original
geographical range and in newly infested areas. In this paper, we assess the suitability of
these three plants as alternate hosts for T. absoluta. Development time of juvenile instars,
adult longevity and female fecundity of the pest reared on these weeds were compared with
those observed on tomato and potato plants under laboratory conditions. The study
revealed that T. absoluta did not oviposit and develop on either D. stramonium or D. ferox.
Conversely, tomato leafminers reared on S. nigrum (black nightshade) exhibited a reproductive
fitness comparable with that seen on potato. All the investigated parameters confirmed
that tomato is the most suitable host plant for the pest. These findings highlight the potential
of the black nightshade to act as a reservoir host for T. absoluta and the carryover of its populations
in periods when neither tomato nor potato crops are available.