Population dynamics of invasive tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) under open field condition

Abstract

The present experiment was conducted during the summer season of 2024, in the open field of a farmer in the Kolhapur District (Maharashtra) with the objective to study the population dynamics of invasive tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) under open field conditions. The study indicated that the infestation of T. absoluta was recorded throughout the cropping season. T. absoluta incidence first appeared in the 9th MW and the population steadily increased and reached its peak in the 18th MW (4.4 larvae per plant). A positive significance with maximum temperature (0.977) and minimum temperature (0.644) and a negative non-significance with morning relative humidity (-0.450) and with an evening relative humidity (- 0.202) was noticed.