Evaluation of integrated pest management based techniques against insect pests associated with tomato at Uthal Balochistan, Pakistan

Abstract

Insect pests are soft-bodied and tiny creatures with plant sap sucking habits that devastate various agricultural crops, fruit trees, ornamental plants and several vegetables. To control these insect pests four IPM techniques were used in tomato field with an aim to minimize the use of synthetic pesticides. Five colours of sticky traps (yellow, green, blue, black and red), Five different colours light trap (red, blue, yellow, green and white), three botanical insecticides (bitter Apple, tobacco, and neem seed extract) with 30% concentration and three synthetic insecticides (emmamectin benzoate, profenophos and bifenthrin) along with water as a control were used. A maximum pest population of jassid, whitefly, thrips, leaf minor, psyllid and flea beetle was observed on yellow sticky traps, while a minimum pest population of jassid, whitefly, thrips, leaf minor, psyllid and flea beetle was noticed on black and red sticky trap. However a highest pest population of fruit borer, psyllid, blister beetle, asparagus beetle, white fly, flea beetle and fruit fly was observed on white and yellow light colour as compared with others lights. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in jassid and earwings pest population on all given colure of lights. The minimum decreased population of white fly, Jassid, thrips and aphids was observed on all three inorganic pesticides as compared with all three organic pesticides and control group. Similarly pest populations reductions  of  white white fly, Jassid, thrips and aphid was found on all three organic pesticides neem seed, tobacco and bitter apple as compared to control group. We concluded that use of IPM techniques may be encouraged to suppress the insect pest population of tomato crop which could be ultimately positive for the environment