Effects of the inclusion of biorational insecticides for pest management on phytophagous insects, fruit yield, and bee abundance in tomato and tomatillo

Abstract

This study was performed to assess the impact of inclusion of biorational insecticides for pest management in tomato and tomatillo. The pest population densities, pest damage and the abundance of flower visiting bees were periodically evaluated. In tomato, overall the population of Bemisia tabaci, the final incidence and severity of viral sysmptoms showed no difference (P > 0.05) among treatments. In tomatillo, the biorational treatments had sligtly lower effects (P < 0.05) than the conventional treatment on Liriomyza trifolii and Epitrix cucumeris. Marketable fruit yield in both crop species was not significanlty different (P > 0.05) among pest mamagement treatments. The abundance of flower visiting bees showed no difference (P > 0.05) among treatments in tomato. But in tomatillo higher abundance (P < 0.05) of Apis mellifera and lower abundnace (P < 0.05) of Trigona nigra were observed in plants treated with Bio-1 relative to those treated with Bio-2.

Keywords:

• Biorational insecticides
• pest management
• bee abundance
• solanaceous crops

Acknowledgments

Authors thank Karely Valencia-Polanco, Joaquin Cano-Pech and Perla Navarrete-Uc for their assistance in crop maintaining and data collecting.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by Tecnológico Nacional de México, Grant number 5137.19-P.