A Newly Emerged Pest of Tomato [Tomato Leaf Miner, Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)]: In Bangladesh – A Review on Its Problems and Management Strategies
Md. Nurul Huda *
Department of Arid land Agriculture, Faculty of Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, PO Box 80208, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Tanzim Jahan
Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, P.O.Box 80208, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Hasan Fuad El Taj
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur 5200, Bangladesh.
Khalid A. Asiry
Department of Arid land Agriculture, Faculty of Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, PO Box 80208, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Worldwide, tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most devastating invasive pests of tomato crops. It is one of the most important biotic constraints for tomato production which may lead to the production loss up to 100% if it cannot be controlled. T. absoluta comprises four developmental stages: egg, larvae, pupa, and adult with a rapid growth rate. Among these larvae is the most devastating stage which affects the fruit, leaves, and stem. Recently, T. absoluta is turned into a key pest of tomato in Bangladesh. This pest was first detected by IPM lab, Horticulture Research Centre, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh from a commercial tomato grower in the village of Chaklarhat (26019’N, 88043’E) under the Tunirhat union of Panchagarh Sadar Upazila, Panchagarh district of Bangladesh in May 2016. Since its introduction in 2016, there was no sound action plan implemented. Therefore, this paper focused on relevant scientific knowledge regarding its biology, potential damage and different control measures which will open the windows for future researches for efficient and sustainable management strategies against T. absoluta in Bangladesh.
Keywords: Tomato, Tuta absoluta, invasive pest, control methods, breeding, insect resistance, management strategies.