Population Density and Infestation Rate of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on Different Tomato Varieties in Mersin Field Conditions

This study was conducted to determine the effects of T. absoluta on three different tomato varieties (Elibol, Super Lapcin, and No: 14397) planted with 40 cm spacing and 60 cm row spacing of 500 seedlings grown in the open field in a kale village of Mezitli district of Mersin province. It is aimed to determine the damage status by following the population in 2015; the most damage of T. absoluta on tomato leaves was seen in Elibol, the minor damage was seen in tomato variety No:14397, while the damage on the stem was more in No:14397 than Elibol and Super Lapcin, while the fruit damage was seen in the Elibol variety at the beginning. Although it was more than the varieties, it reached the same level on the following dates. In 2016, damage to leaves, stems, and fruit of T. absoluta was more in Elibol variety than Super Lapcin. The average number of adult T. absoluta caught in delta -type sexual attractive pheromone traps in 2015 was 16.02 for Elibol, 15.46 for Super Lapcin, and 14.94 for No:14397 in tomato cultivars per trap. No statistically significant difference was found in the whole leaf, stem, and fruit with a one-way analysis of variance between cultivars (P>0.05). It has been determined that the use and development of traps for mass trapping according to the population status and the use of varieties with smaller leaf blades in tomato cultivation are also crucial in control against T. absoluta.