TIME OF ECLOSION AND LARVAL BEHAVIOR OF THE TOMATO FRUIT BORER, NEOLEUCINODES ELEGANTIS (GUENEE) (LEPIDOPTERA: CRAMBIDAE) ON TOMATO, LYCOPERSICON ESCULENTUM

Authors: EIRAS, ALVARO - BELO HORIZONTE BRAZIL; BLACKMER, JACQUELYN

Submitted to: Scientia Agricola
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2002
Publication Date: 1/1/2003
Citation: EIRAS, A.E., BLACKMER, J.L. ECLOSION TIME AND LARVAL BEHAVIOR OF THE TOMATO FRUIT BORER,NEOLEUCINODES ELEGANTIS (GUENEE) (LEPIDOPTERA: CRAMBIDAE) ON TOMATO, LYCOPERSICON ESCULENTUM. SCIENTIA AGRICOLA. 2003. v. 60 p. 195-197.

Interpretive Summary: In several regions of Brazil, the tomato fruit borer is one the most serious pests of tomato. The moth lays her eggs on the fruit or calyx, and then shortly after the egg hatches the larva penetrates into the fruit, where it remains until pupation. Once the larva enters the fruit, insecticides and biological control agents are relatively ineffective. Therefore, it would be important to know when the eggs hatch and the lengt of time the larvae spend on the surface of the fruit, as the fruit borer is most susceptible to conventional treatments during this period. To answer these questions detailed behavioral studies were untaken. Eggs were collected from the field and maintained in an environmental chamber at 20 deg C, 75 plus/minus 5% R.H., and a 12L:12D light cycle. The time of day when eggs hatch was recorded with a video camera, whereas larval behavior and time required to enter the fruit were determined by direct observations. The majority of the eggs (93%) hatched within the first two hours after sunrise. The larvae spent 51.1 plus/minus 31.1 (X plus/minus SEM) min on the surface of the fruit. Once they had selected a suitable site, they required an additional 23.8 plus/minus 19.4 min to completely penetrate the fruit. Eighty-six percent of the larvae were successful in penetrating the fruit.

Technical Abstract: In several regions of Brazil, Neoleucinodes elegantalis is one the most serious pests of tomato. The moth lays her eggs on the fruit or calyx, and then shortly after eclosion the larva penetrates into the fruit, where it remains until pupation. Once the larva enters the fruit, insecticides and biological control agents are relatively ineffective. Therefore, it would be important to know the time of egg eclosion and the length of time the larvae spend on the surface of the fruit, as N. elegantalis is most susceptible to conventional treatments during this period. To answer these questions detailed behavioral studies were untaken. Eggs were collected from the field and maintained in an environmental chamber at 20 deg C, 75 plus/minus 5% R.H., and a 12L:12D photoperiod. The time of egg eclosion was recorded with a video camera, whereas larval behavior and time required to enter the fruit were determined by direct observations. The majority of the eggs (93%) hatched within the first two hours after the beginning of photophase. The larvae spent 51.1 plus/minus 31.1 (X plus/minus SEM) min on the surface of the fruit. Once they had selected a suitable site, they required an additional 23.8 plus/minus 19.4 min to completely penetrate the fruit. Eighty-six percent of the larvae were successful in penetrating the fruit. Of the larvae that bored into the fruit, 42% selected the upper surface, 18% selected the middle portion, and 40% selected the lower portion.