Control of the Cotton Bollworm Helicoverpa armigera in Tunisian Tomato Open Field Plot by the Application of Some Insecticides

Abstract

The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera is considered a serious pest that attacks tomato in Tunisia and in other countries around the world. Thus, it is a necessity to control this pest and to establish a management program. The monitoring of the insect flight activity using sex pheromone traps, under Takelsa open field plot, revealed that this insect developed up to three generations. The study of its population dynamics showed that on leaves, eggs and larvae are able to achieve two peaks. However, on fruits, only larvae were present in an important number and produced two generations. Pupae are almost absent in leaves and fruits. In this study, the management of this pest was performed through the chemical treatment by testing the efficacy of some insecticides. Two trials were tested on June, 2011. All tested insecticides were proved to be efficient in controlling H. armigera under field conditions.

Keywords

• Chemical treatments
• Helicoverpa armigera
• population dynamics
• tomato open field