Control of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) by the new trend of photosensitizer and nanocomposites and their effects on productivity and storability of tomato

• Published in: International journal of tropical insect science 2024-02, Vol.44 (1), p.273-296
• Main Authors: Ahmed, Sayeda S., Kader, Mahmoud H. Abdel, Fahmy, Mahmoud A. M., Abdelgawad, Karima F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biomedical and Life Sciences; Chemical pest control; Chlorophyllin; Copper; Crop yield; Entomology; Gelechiidae; Graphene; Insecticides; Insects; Larvae; Lepidoptera; Life Sciences; Magnesium; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanotechnology; Original Research Article; Pesticides; Plants (botany); Reduction; Seasons; Silver; Spraying; Tomatoes; Tunnels; Tuta absoluta
• ISSN: 1742-7592; 1742-7584; 1742-7592
• DOI: 10.1007/s42690-023-01141-0

Tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is a serious insect pest on tomato plants worldwide. Its larvae can cause up to 100% damage if not controlled. Furthermore, using of chemical pesticides is causing serious threat to environment and human health. The effect of two photosensitizers; magnesium and copper chlorophyllin (Mg-Chl and Cu-Chl) alone and two nanomaterials (GO and Ag) over their photosensitizers (Mg-Chl /Go, Mg-Chl /Ag, Cu-Chl/ Go, and Cu-Chl /Ag) on T. absoluta in tomato field at two seasons were studied. The tested concentrations of photosensitizer and nanocomposites were 10 −3 (100 ml/L), 10 −4 (10 ml/L) and 10 –5 (1 ml/L). The effect of photosensitizer and nanocomposites on reduction % of Tuta absoluta , tomato plants growth, yield, and quality were studied. The number of tunnels was recorded, the reduction percentages for each treatment were calculated compared to control before and after 1, 5, and 7 days of spraying. Results showed that the reduction in the number of tunnels after one day of spraying with photosensitizers (Mg-Chl and Cu-Chl) at the highest concentration (10 −3 ) was 72.79 and 70.52% in the 1 st season and 77.95 and 60.08% in the 2 nd season. The reduction percentage increased gradually with the number of days after spraying and reached 100% after seven days in both seasons. The reduction percentage reached 100% in plants treated with all nanomaterial concentrations after five days of spraying in the 1 st season and after one day of spraying in the second season. Photosensitizer and nanocomposites treatments at all concentrations positively affected all vegetative growth parameters of tomato plants compared with insecticides and control. The highest concentration of all treatments increased yield and enhanced the storability of tomato fruits. The yield after treatment with Mg-Chl was 28.67 tons/fed, which was more than the yield of those treated with Cu-Chl (24.8 tons/fed). Loading nano silver (Ag) over Mg-Chl achieved tomato yield (35.18 tons/fed) compared with the loading of nano graphene oxide (Go) (32.95 tons/fed). Therefore, treatment with these materials can be recommended in the IPM program to control T. absoluta in tomato fields.