Role of tomato leaf glandular trichomes on oviposition of Tuta absoluta

Abstract

In the genus Lycopersicon, different metabolites are secreted by the glandular trichomes of leaves and stems. These compounds have been associated to different tomato pests resistance. The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), is one of the most harmful pests in South America. The females oviposit on tomato leaves and the larvae mine the leaf mesophyl, stems, flowers and fruits. Some wild accessions of Lycopersicon keep their capacity to synthesize allelochemicals that protect them from the pest. In this paper a comparison was made between the tomato pinworm oviposition on leaves with and without trichomes of L. esculentum (Mill.) cv. Uco Plata, a susceptible cultivar, and L. hirsutum f. glabratum (Mull.) PI 134417, a resistant wild accession. Results suggest that the female oviposit without distinction on the leaves of both species, with or without glandular trichomes. The presence of these trichomes and their exudates do not have an inhibitor effect on the insect oviposition.