WHITEFLY (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius.) AND GEMINIVIRUS CONTROL IN TOMATO (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) SEEDLINGS UNDER PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROTECTION, EFFECT ON PRODUCTION

Abstract

The white Fly (Bemisia tabaci, Gennadium) is the main pest affecting tomato (Lycopersicum esculemtum, Mill.) crop in the municipality of Tisma, Masaya. This insect vectorborne geminivirus to tomato plants and with this, it brings severe damages, reducing yields and increasing production costs. With the aim of evaluating physical and chemical protective alternatives against the attack of this complex white fly-geminivirus, a field experiment was carried out in the municipality of Tisma, Masaya, in the period between November 2007 to January 2008. Evaluated treatments were: tomato seedlings protected with anti-virus meshes (Microtúnel), tomato seedlings growth in trays protected under a microgreenhouse, tomato seedlings planted outdoors protected with gaucho-confidor, tomato seedlings planted outdoors protected with Neem, tomato seedlings planted outdoor with no protection against insects (control treatment). Evaluated variables were: number of white fly adult per plant, percentage of plant virus incidence and severity, and yield in kg/ha. Samplings were done weekly. According to the results in this study, tomato plants protected under microtunnel and under microgreenhouse, resulted with the smaller percentage of virus incidence and severity, followed by the treatments gaucho-confidor and Neem. In the same way, the treatments microtunnel and microgreenhouse had the best yields, the best rate of marginal return and the better net benefits.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/calera.v11i17.772

La Calera Vol.11 No.17, p.05-13