Evaluation des infestations de la mineuse tuta absoluta meyrick (Lepidoptera : Gelechiidae) en cultures de tomates au Burkina Faso

Abstract

The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gélichiidea) has caused significant damage to the tomato crop in Burkina Faso since its appearance in 2016. To assess the damage caused by this pest on vegetable farms, a study was carried out in the urban commune of Dori. As part of this study, a survey was submitted to the actors intervening on three vegetable sites namely Oulo, Yakouta and Dori, making a sample of 214 people, including 54 tomato producers. In addition, weekly monitoring of male T. absoluta individuals and larval populations of aerial plant organs was performed. The study shows that it is from 2016 (14%) that the damage of this insect began to be visible on tomato crops. The attacks of this insect are very important, so that 67% of the producers recognized the pest in 2019. The high number of male specimens (700) caught per trap and per week and that of the larvae (4 per tomato plant) highlight the infestation status of T. absoluta in this region. The losses caused by this infestation are very enormous and are estimated at 69% of production for an economic value of up to 3,200,000 FCFA (4878 €) / ha. Faced with this situation, the producers first adopted chemical control (94%), followed by biological control (15%) and cultural control (13%). Despite the intensification of chemical treatments, they have failed to control this pest which will ultimately affect the lives of 83% of producers with corollaries of social problems. Analysis of field data indicates that climatic factors such as temperature, sunlight and humidity have no significant influence on the population dynamics of T. absoluta.