Browsing by Author "Sintayehu Bonsa"

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    Insecticide Testing and Assessing Farmers’ Knowledge of Pests, Pesticides, and Method of Application on Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.) Against Tomato Leaf Miner Tuta Absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia at Bora
    (Addis Ababa University, 2023-04) Sintayehu Bonsa; Emana Getu
    The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an economically important vegetable in Ethiopia, and the crop is vulnerable to attacks from insects, mite, and disease pests. Among these pests, the South American tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta) is a serious, new, and exotic pest affecting tomato production in Ethiopia. Tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), which is the biggest challenge for tomato production in Ethiopia, was first encountered in February 2013 in the Central Rift Valley (CRV) areas of Ethiopia. Studies were conducted in Bora Wereda in April 2021 to understand pesticide use practices and to test the effectiveness of some selected insecticides against T. absoluta on tomato plants. A total of 100 farmers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Six treatments of five insecticides; Super Jet 300SC (chlorfenapyr 100 g/l + thiamethoxam 200 g/l), Tutan Plus 410SC (chlorfenapyr 36% + cyromazin 5% SC), Tutan 360 SC (chlorfenapyr 36% SC), Emma 19.2 Ec (emamectin benzoate 19.2 g/l), and Ravan (chlorfenapyr 180 g/l + indoxacarb 120 g/l) from different insecticide classes, one non-registered, were screened for their efficacy against T. absoluta along with the untreated control using a randomized complete block design with four replications. Insecticides were tested in three rounds at the recommended rate based on the economic threshold level of the larval count. The larval count data were analyzed (ANOVA) using SAS version 9.0. The survey results showed that ninety-two percent of farmers in Bora Wereda had not received formal training on using pesticides properly. A hundred percent of the respondents believed that the frequency and rate indicated on the label were ineffective in controlling the insect. Twenty-eight percent of the farmers used smuggled insecticide and found it effective. Tutan 360 SC, Tutan Plus 410 SC, and Super Jet 300 SC were significantly better than untreated check in reducing pest population with a p-value of < 0.001 after the second spray round. Marketable yield weight showed significant differences (P = 0.035) between the Super Jet 300 SC and the control. This study suggests the importance of registering new insecticide molecules with diverse modes of action and using rotational insecticide application techniques.