Sustainable pest management in cropping systems: the case study of the South American tomato pinworm

Abstract

The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta is a tomato key pest in Italy infesting the crop during the whole production cycle. This Neotropical species has been present in South America for many years and since 2006 it has rapidly established in the Mediterranean basin. More recently, the pest is spreading in Africa and Eurasia becoming a global threat for tomato crops in greenhouse and open field. Integrated pest management strategies (IPM) including prevention measures, monitoring and sustainable control methods with low eco-toxicological impact are reported. Before crop transplanting they consist in the removal of crop residues, use of insect-proof nets and sanitization methods; after the transplanting, pheromone based technics, protection and enhancement of native natural enemies and sustainable applications of insecticides and bio-insecticides are the best options. Among the methods of biological control, the role of the predator Nesidiocoris tenuis and the techniques for its successful exploitation are discussed.