Tomato Insects A

Lecture To ToT trainees ( FFS) By

Mr. Allah Dad Khan Provincial Coordinator

IPM KPK MINFAL Pakistan

1.Tomato Fruit Worm The tomato fruitworm (Helicoverpa zea).

Symptoms and signs: Also known as the corn earworm and cotton bollworm. Two-inch yellow to gray worms with lengthwise stripes tunnel into fruit. They also feed on tomato leaves. Brown pupae are about 3/4-in. long and found three to four inches deep in the soil. The fruitworm moth lays eggs on the leaves; the eggs are white at first then develop a brown ring.

Controls: Handpicking of the larvae or eggs is one control. Another is to till the soil in the fall which exposes the pupae to predators and cold. Bacillus thuringiensis, Rotenone andgarlic sprays are effective chemical controls.

2. Tomato Wire worm • Symptoms and signs: These light

brown hard-bodied 1/2-in. to 1-1/2-in. worms are the larval stage of the click beetle, which gets its name from the sound they make when they flip over when laid on their back. They feed on underground stems and small roots, causing stunting of plants and reduced yields.

• Controls: Tilling the soil frequently kills wireworms or exposes them to predators such as birds. Apply beneficial nematodes. Rotate crops by not planting in the same spot each year.

3.Tomato Leaf miner• For control of tomato leaf

miner, chemical insecticides have been applied and biological control strategies have been evaluated. However, Tuta absolutaalready shows resistance to many chemical insecticides. Tomato leaf miner is currently controlled by spraying specific synthetic insecticides.

4. Tomato Silver Leaf White Fly• Silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia argentifolii)

Chiefly a greenhouse and houseplant pest in the northern hemisphere. They are tiny yellowish insects with white wings which cause damage to leaves by feeding, which causes leaves to yellow and curl. Usually rest on the underside of leaves. They are active flyers and move from plant to plant.

• Controls: Spray foliage with water (early in the day so it can dry before evening) to disrupt feeding and dislodge eggs, nymphs and pupae of the whitefly. Lowered temperatures also decreases activity. A small wasp, the encarsia formosa, which is available from suppliers, is a natural predator that can be introduced into the environment to control the whitefly population.

5.Tomato Cut Worm• Symptoms and signs: Smooth one-inch

caterpillars found curled in a C-shape in the soil feed at or just below soil level. They can cut off young plants evenly at the surface of the soil. Colors vary from gray, black, brownish, to green.

• Controls: 1) Cutworm collars: put a collar around seedlings made from bottomless paper cups or 2-inches of a toilet paper tube. Push the tube into the soil. Shallow tin cans with bottoms removed also work. 2) Scatter bloodmeal around the plants. 3) Scatter moth balls around the plants. 4) Dig up the garden in early spring to expose and kill cutworms by freezing or starvation

6. Tomato Horn Worm

• Tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata), Symptoms, signs and controls: Read detailed information about hornworms in the article Tomato Worms - Tobacco and Tomato Hornworms

7.Tomato flea beetles• Symptoms and signs: Small

(1/8-in.) dark brown metallic-colored jumping beetles make tiny "shot-holes" in leaves. The damage can stunt or kill small plants.

• Controls: Keep weeds under control where the flea beetles nest (a good practice for controlling many tomato bugs). Plant basil nearby, which repels them. Sprinkle plants with an insecticidal

8.Tomato Aphids• Symptoms and signs: Colonies

of small (less than 1/8-in.) green insects found on new stems and undersides of leaves

• Treatment: A strong stream of water can wash off insects. You can encourage natural predators like ladybugs or lacewings. Also effective for many tomato bugs is the use of repellant garlic oil spray

Tomato Psyllids

9.Tomato Psyllids( Leaf Hopper)• Symptoms and signs: Small (1/8-in.)

wedge-shaped pale-green/tan hopping insects which feed on sap and cause curled leaves with dark tips. They rarely cause significant damage but they can transmit plant pathogens that cause plant diseases such as curly top.

• Controls: Blast with water spray (in the mornings so leaves dry by nightfall). Cover plants with floating row covers. Spray with insecticidal soap or other organic pesticides or dust with sulfur. Avoid planting tomatoes near beet

Tomato plant damaged by psyllids

10. Two Spotted Spider Mite• Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus

urticae) Symptoms and signs: Includes tomato erinose and spider mites. Mites are tiny insects that cause the leaves to look like they're covered with a white mold because of the webbing they produce. They attack leaf tips and blossom buds. They puncture leaves and feed on the sap.

• Controls: Avoid dry, dusty conditions by having a consistenttomato watering program. Also avoid nitrogen fertilization. Predator mites are an effective control. Prune and discard heavily infested branches. Wash off with a mild detergent and water rinse.

11.Stink Bug• Symptoms and signs: While

not one of the most damaging tomato bugs, stink bugs pierce fruit and cause dimpling and sunken spots on fruit.

• Controls: Since they congregate on weeds, the best control is to keep the garden weeded and handpick insects when found. Drop into soapy water to kill them

12. Leaf footed Bug

• Leaf-footed bug (Leptoglossus phyllopus).

13. Tomato Blister Bettle • Symptoms and signs: Medium size (3/4-

in.) black, red, gray, or striped adult beetles chew on leaves. Large numbers of them can defoliate the plant rapidly before moving on. You may see dark fecal spots on leaves and stems.

• Treatment: Blister beetles beneficial aspect is their diet of grasshopper eggs. To eliminate handpick and dispose (use gloves, they can blister your skin with their secretion of canthara-dine, but most of those found in gardens have relatively low amounts so aren't much of a threat). Drop into soapy water to kill them -- this works for most tomato bugs.

14. Ear wigs • Symptoms and signs: One- to two-

inch black insects with a pincer-like tail damage the leaves of young tomato plants.

• Controls: 1) Lay boards on the soil then destroy the earwigs that congregate overnight. 2) Let your chickens make a meal of them. 3) Make an earwig trap by rolling up a single sheet of newspaper into a cylinder and securing it with tape or rubber bands. Dampen the paper, lay it in the garden overnight. Earwigs will hide in the paper; dispose of it in the morning.

15. Nematodes • Symptoms and signs: These are microscopic

wormlike creatures; the best known is the root-knot nematode. They cause yellow foliage, wilting, and stunted plants; they can be diagnosed by observing irregular swellings on roots.

• Controls: Nematodes are easily spread by garden tools and soil on gardener's boots. Sanitize by removing and destroying all infested plants after harvest. Sterilize tools at a minimum with soap and water. Don't add affected plants to compost pile. Remove as much of the root system as possible, including much of the surrounding soil. Clean pots with 10% bleach/water solution before reusing. Grow nematode resistant tomato varieties which will have and "N" listed after the plant name. An effective soil treatment for these tomato bugs is to grow marigolds to maturity then plow under -- nematodes can't tolerate the chemicals released.

16.Slugs • Symptoms and signs: Slimy, dark soft-bodied

creatures up to 4-in. long feed at night and on cloudy, damp days. They feast on tomato foliage and fruit on or near the soil surface. Both slugs and snails lay masses of white, oval to round eggs.

• Controls: 1) Handpick daily, then weekly, when their numbers decrease. 2) You can make a trap from a 1-ft. square board with 1-in. x 1-in. runners on the four sides. Snails and slugs will congregate underneath where they can be disposed of in the morning. 3) Place shallow pans of beer near plants. The slugs will crawl in and drown. An alternative to beer is one tablespoon of flour and 1/8 teaspoon of yeast mixed with a cup of water. 4) Mulching your tomato plants with coarse mulches like hay or placing rough rocks around the plant stems will also discourage slugs. 5) Commercial baits like Slug-Geta can also be effective.

17. Snails• Symptoms and signs: Slimy, dark soft-bodied

creatures up to 4-in. long feed at night and on cloudy, damp days. They feast on tomato foliage and fruit on or near the soil surface. Both slugs and snails lay masses of white, oval to round eggs.

• Controls: 1) Handpick daily, then weekly, when their numbers decrease. 2) You can make a trap from a 1-ft. square board with 1-in. x 1-in. runners on the four sides. Snails and slugs will congregate underneath where they can be disposed of in the morning. 3) Place shallow pans of beer near plants. The slugs will crawl in and drown. An alternative to beer is one tablespoon of flour and 1/8 teaspoon of yeast mixed with a cup of water. 4) Mulching your tomato plants with coarse mulches like hay or placing rough rocks around the plant stems will also discourage slugs. 5) Commercial baits like Slug-Geta can also be effective.

18. Leaf Miner • For control of tomato leaf

miner, chemical insecticides have been applied and biological control strategies have been evaluated. However, Tuta absolutaalready shows resistance to many chemical insecticides. Tomato leaf miner is currently controlled by spraying specific synthetic insecticides.

19. Tomato Thrips• The primary damage caused by

thrips to tomatoes is the vectoring of Tomato spotted wilt virus The virus can only be acquired by the immature stage of thrips, whereas plant-to-plant transmission primarily occurs by adults. The adult thrips can transmit the virus for the remainder of their lives, which can last 30 to 45 days. However, the adults do not pass the virus to their progeny (through the egg)