Exploration of color sensitivity of insects for pest management in tomato | |
| Author | Wickramarachchi, Kanchana Sisirani |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.AS-04-08 |
| Subject(s) | Tomatoes--Diseases and pests Insect pests |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ;no. AS-04-08 |
| Abstract | Insect pests make tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) a high risk and low productive crop thus demanding heavy use of pesticides. Therefore, IPM approach is gaining rapid popularity in tomato production. This study was conducted to determine the color preference of insect pests and natural enemies in order reduce the pest incidence and pesticide application in tomato production systems. Eleven cards each of nine different colors (viz. yellow, blue, white, light green, dark green, orange, purple, red and black) with a film of colorless sticky glue applied on the surface and colorless transparent polypropaline film and a control (i.e. without any glued cards) were tested for tomato in Randomized Complete Block design with three replicates during 2004. Each card was replaced weekly and major insects and natural enemies were identified and counted. Thrip species Ceratothripoides claratris (Shumsher) was the dominant pest, attracted mainly on white and blue colors. High UV reflectance from color cards appeard to be key copmonent in attraction of thrips. Leafrniners and aphids were attracted to yellow, light green, orange and dark green, but for whiteflies, the color preferred was not clear. Yellow was preferred by diverse group of parasitic wasps followed by orange, blue, light green and dark green. Though it was not significant blue, light green, dark green and orange usually showed more attractiveness for odonata flies. Whitefly eaters showed preference for yellow over other colors. Non of the colors was conclusively attractive for coccinellidae beetles. These finding may permits colors to be used in pest management, in particular circumstances that are selective for different type of insects. Yield associated with blue color card gave the highest (23 t/ha) when compared to the control. |
| Year | 2004 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. AS-04-08 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agricultural and Aquatic Systems(AS) |
| Chairperson(s) | Ranamukhaarachchi, S.L.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Zoebisch, Michael A.;Athapol Noomhorm; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Government of the Netherlands.; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2004 |