FIRST RECORD OF TOMATO LEAFMINER, TUTA ABSOLUTA (MEYRICK 1917) (LEPIDOPTERA: GELECHIIDAE) FROM SOUTHERN PART OF PUNJAB, PAKISTAN - M. Ishtiaq; M. Sadique; N. Faried; U. Naeem-Ullah; M. A. Hamza (Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 2020)
Tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta is an indigenous insect pest of solanaceous crops in South America, which is now an important quarantine insect pest in many other parts of the world. Geographical range of T. absoluta is rapidly increasing. It has been spreading in Asian countries since first reported from Turkey in 2009, Azarbaijan province in North Western Iran in 2010 and in 2014 it has reached India. Its damage is severe on tomatoes and possible threat to food production hence an emerging problem to food security. Tuta absoluta was not reported earlier in Pakistan. A high attack of Tuta absoluta in 2017-2018 in Multan on tomato crop was observed. Samples were recovered from tomatoes grown under plastic tunnels. Detection was carried out by incubated infested tomato leaves and fruits till adult eclosion in the mesh cages. Larvae were observed under microscope. Leaves and fruit damage symptoms were compared with available data. Adults were identified morphologically. Genitalia of adults proved that insect pest was tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta. Furthermore, it was confirmed through sex pheromone traps where moths of Tuta absoluta were caught from same location from where samples were taken. Hence, it is confirmed first report of T. absoluta in Pakistan. Further studies are needed to confirm the occurrence of this emerging insect pest on alternative host plants in different areas of Pakistan. It’s an alert for quarantine department to take strict measures for its entry points through trade before it emerges as threatening insect pest in Pakistan to tomato industry.
Keywords: journal article; Tomato leafminer; Tuta absoluta; Invasive pest; First report