Mohammad Jafarloo,Naim Azimi,Mojtaba Mohammaddoustsharif
Abstract
The tomato leafminer moth (Tuta absoluta Meyrick, Lep.: Gelechiidae) is a dangerous pest of tomatoes in both field and greenhouse conditions. In recent years, this pest has become prevalent in various regions of Iran, causing irreparable damage to the crop. Different methods have been recommended globally for controlling this pest, but due to its recent presence in the country, it’s crucial to study these methods under various climatic conditions. One such control method involves using pheromone traps for mass trapping.
In this research, the efficacy of two trap types (Delta and water pan traps) with three different colors (yellow, white, and green) at two heights (0.5 and 1 meter from the ground) was compared across four different farms in Urmia county. The traps were installed coinciding with the emergence of adult pests in the field, and the captured male insects in each trap were counted weekly.
The results showed that trap color had no effect on attracting this pest. The highest capture rate was observed with water pan traps, averaging 161.07 insects per trap over seven sampling periods spanning 50 days. Additionally, there was a significant difference (at the 5% probability level) between the two trap installation heights, with the highest capture observed at a half-meter height with 123.34 insects within the same period.
