Efficacy of different insecticides against Liriomyza trifolii Burgess

The leaf miner, Liriomyza trifolii is one of the important pests, which caused serious damage to tomato to the extent of 30-40 % Small yellow maggots hatch and feed inside the leaf tissue, leaving long, slender, winding, white tunnels (mines) through the leaf. The leaf wound made by L. trifolii female to the upper surface of leaves for oviposition creates habitats for the infection of pathogens like bacteria and fungi. After hatching, the larvae mined through the leaf tissues and feed on mesophyll of the leaves creating serpentine mines and blotches on the upper surface. The photosynthesis rate of mined leaves became reduced. In heavy infestation, plants can be completely defoliated by the combined damage of leaf miner larvae and plant pathogen. Plant stress, moisture loss or sun scald of fruits occurred due to shading of leaves. This type of damage caused by leaf miner resulted in decreased yield of fruits. By considering all the facts, the present investigations were undertaken to evaluate the safer and compatible alternative methods of pest control with an integrated approach utilizing the botanicals such as NSE, karanj oil in comparison with some newer insecticides.