Effects of tomato treatments with commercial formulations of entomopathogenic fungi on the pest Tuta absoluta and the predator Macrolophus pygmaeus
Tuta absoluta is a devasting pest causing severe yield losses in most tomato-growing areas. Macrolophus pygmaeus is a generalist predator released in tomato crop to control T. absoluta. Entomopathogenic fungi are also used on tomato against other pests, but they can play a role in controlling T. abs...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-08-01
|
| Series: | Biological Control |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1049964425001422 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849321306191822848 |
|---|---|
| author | Sara Scovero Silvia T. Moraglio Luciana Tavella |
| author_facet | Sara Scovero Silvia T. Moraglio Luciana Tavella |
| author_sort | Sara Scovero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Tuta absoluta is a devasting pest causing severe yield losses in most tomato-growing areas. Macrolophus pygmaeus is a generalist predator released in tomato crop to control T. absoluta. Entomopathogenic fungi are also used on tomato against other pests, but they can play a role in controlling T. absoluta. Therefore, the effects of two commercial products Naturalis® and Mycotal®, based on the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Akanthomyces muscarius, respectively, on T. absoluta and M. pygmaeus were assessed. In no-choice tests on leaflets, mortality was significantly higher on fungus-treated leaflets for 1st–2nd instar T. absoluta larvae, and not for 3rd–4th instar larvae and for both younger and older M. pygmaeus nymphs. Similarly, in no-choice tests on plants, development rate was significantly lower only for T. absoluta on plants treated with Mycotal®. In two-choice tests, both pest and predator did not show any preference between fungus-treated and untreated plants. Following the laboratory results, Mycotal® was applied also in plastic tunnel cultivation of tomato under field conditions. The number of T. absoluta larvae was significantly lower on plants treated with Mycotal® than on untreated plants, while the presence of M. pygmaeus was not affected by the treatment. Therefore, the use of fungal products together with the predator appears to be a promising strategy for the control of T. absoluta on tomato crop. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-39c6301faed14da0bbb1cbf565e7db3b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1049-9644 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Biological Control |
| spelling | doaj-art-39c6301faed14da0bbb1cbf565e7db3b2025-08-20T03:49:46ZengElsevierBiological Control1049-96442025-08-0120710583210.1016/j.biocontrol.2025.105832Effects of tomato treatments with commercial formulations of entomopathogenic fungi on the pest Tuta absoluta and the predator Macrolophus pygmaeusSara Scovero0Silvia T. Moraglio1Luciana Tavella2Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Largo P. Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, ItalyCorresponding author.; Department of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Largo P. Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, ItalyDepartment of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, University of Torino, Largo P. Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, ItalyTuta absoluta is a devasting pest causing severe yield losses in most tomato-growing areas. Macrolophus pygmaeus is a generalist predator released in tomato crop to control T. absoluta. Entomopathogenic fungi are also used on tomato against other pests, but they can play a role in controlling T. absoluta. Therefore, the effects of two commercial products Naturalis® and Mycotal®, based on the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Akanthomyces muscarius, respectively, on T. absoluta and M. pygmaeus were assessed. In no-choice tests on leaflets, mortality was significantly higher on fungus-treated leaflets for 1st–2nd instar T. absoluta larvae, and not for 3rd–4th instar larvae and for both younger and older M. pygmaeus nymphs. Similarly, in no-choice tests on plants, development rate was significantly lower only for T. absoluta on plants treated with Mycotal®. In two-choice tests, both pest and predator did not show any preference between fungus-treated and untreated plants. Following the laboratory results, Mycotal® was applied also in plastic tunnel cultivation of tomato under field conditions. The number of T. absoluta larvae was significantly lower on plants treated with Mycotal® than on untreated plants, while the presence of M. pygmaeus was not affected by the treatment. Therefore, the use of fungal products together with the predator appears to be a promising strategy for the control of T. absoluta on tomato crop.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1049964425001422GelechiidaeMiridaeBeauveria bassianaAkanthomyces muscariusNaturalis®Mycotal® |
| spellingShingle | Sara Scovero Silvia T. Moraglio Luciana Tavella Effects of tomato treatments with commercial formulations of entomopathogenic fungi on the pest Tuta absoluta and the predator Macrolophus pygmaeus Biological Control Gelechiidae Miridae Beauveria bassiana Akanthomyces muscarius Naturalis® Mycotal® |
| title | Effects of tomato treatments with commercial formulations of entomopathogenic fungi on the pest Tuta absoluta and the predator Macrolophus pygmaeus |
| title_full | Effects of tomato treatments with commercial formulations of entomopathogenic fungi on the pest Tuta absoluta and the predator Macrolophus pygmaeus |
| title_fullStr | Effects of tomato treatments with commercial formulations of entomopathogenic fungi on the pest Tuta absoluta and the predator Macrolophus pygmaeus |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of tomato treatments with commercial formulations of entomopathogenic fungi on the pest Tuta absoluta and the predator Macrolophus pygmaeus |
| title_short | Effects of tomato treatments with commercial formulations of entomopathogenic fungi on the pest Tuta absoluta and the predator Macrolophus pygmaeus |
| title_sort | effects of tomato treatments with commercial formulations of entomopathogenic fungi on the pest tuta absoluta and the predator macrolophus pygmaeus |
| topic | Gelechiidae Miridae Beauveria bassiana Akanthomyces muscarius Naturalis® Mycotal® |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1049964425001422 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sarascovero effectsoftomatotreatmentswithcommercialformulationsofentomopathogenicfungionthepesttutaabsolutaandthepredatormacrolophuspygmaeus AT silviatmoraglio effectsoftomatotreatmentswithcommercialformulationsofentomopathogenicfungionthepesttutaabsolutaandthepredatormacrolophuspygmaeus AT lucianatavella effectsoftomatotreatmentswithcommercialformulationsofentomopathogenicfungionthepesttutaabsolutaandthepredatormacrolophuspygmaeus |