EVALUATING DIFFERENT PHEROMONE TRAPS FOR TOMATO LEAF MINER (Tuta absoluta MEYRICK) IN KATHMANDU VALLEY
This study was conducted in plastic tunnel farms located in Gamcha and Jhaukhel in Bhaktapur, Lubhu in Lalitpur, and Machhegaun in Kirtipur. The research spanned from April to the first week of August 2023. The primary aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of various pheromone traps (Light trap, Wota-t trap, and delta trap) in controlling Tuta absoluta in the specified locations. Experiments were conducted using these traps, each equipped with a Tomato leaf miner lure, and the captured Tuta moths were tallied and recorded every week for a total of 16 weeks. The results consistently demonstrated the superior performance of the Wota-t trap in terms of capturing Tuta moths in all locations, except for Lubhu, where the Light trap proved to be more effective. In contrast, the delta trap consistently yielded fewer Tuta catches compared to the other two traps during each field visit. Results showed that Wota-t traps were significantly efficient in closed environments with high Tuta populations and had the advantage of capturing very few non-targeted pests, while light traps were consistently effective, but they had the drawback of attracting non-targeted nocturnal pests. On the other hand, Delta traps consistently yielded poor results, with significantly fewer Tuta captures. In light of these findings, this research recommends that tomato farmers in Kathmandu Valley who cultivate their crops in tunnel farms should use Wota-t traps for enhanced control of Tuta absoluta infestations.