Empirical Review of Tuta absoluta Meyrick Effect on the Tomato Production and Their Protection Attempts

Abstract

The tomato is one of the most nutritious, economically important, and delicate vegetables grown in the world. It is highly susceptible to insect pests and microbial pathogens. The tomato leafminer moth, Tuta absoluta Meyrick, is the current impediment to tomato production in the world. The insect showed invasive and notorious behavior and was affecting tomato production. To control this insect, the application of synthetic insecticides is seen as the primary solution. However, during the feeding stage, larvae hide within mined leaf mesophyll and bored fruits from chemical spray, besides fast developing resistance to several insecticides. Such characteristics of the insect reduced the effectiveness of the chemical control efforts. Currently, the natural, or ecofriendly pest control method is gaining the momentum to minimize the application of synthetic insecticide against this devastating insect. Studies showed that botanical extracts (phytochemicals) and natural enemies such as parasitoids, predators, entomopathogenic nematodes, entomopathogenic fungi, and entomopathogenic bacteria are effective for controlling T. absoluta. As a result, the basic attributes of the above-mentioned natural agents and their potential to control T. absoluta have been briefly discussed in this review. However, due to disease (pests), the expected outcome for the subsectors is still low. Therefore, the pinpointing of major diseases and pests and their control measures would help to significantly improve the crop production technology used by smallholder farmers and thereby sustainably improve tomato production in Ethiopia.