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Temperature and tomato variety influence the development and the plant damage induced by the zoophytophagous mirid bug Nesidiocoris tenuis

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Abstract

Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an important biocontrol agent of several key arthropod pests, including the South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). However, it can cause economic damage owing to its herbivory. Risk assessment on plant for the predator under different temperature thresholds is necessary for managing its phytophagy in tomato cultivation. We investigated the predator plant damage and its development under the influence of temperature and tomato variety. Ten commercial tomato varieties of different types (round red, small cherry, date baby plum, piccadilly plum and marmande beefsteak) were tested in the laboratory under five constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 °C). The amount of fourth-instar nymphs moulted into adults and stem necrotic rings induced by the feeding activity was evaluated. The plant damage differed among the varieties and increased significantly across the temperatures up to 30 °C, with a slight decline at 35 °C. Temperature and variety significantly affected the nymphal development with an increasing number of moulted adults at increasing temperature, but with slight differences among tomato varieties. Our findings provide valuable information on the mirid response to the tested abiotic and biotic factors, which can help in the management and exploitation of N. tenuis as a biocontrol agent in tomato crop.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research (MIUR) (PRIN Project 2015 ‘BIOPIC’, 2015BABFCF), by the University of Catania (Project Emergent Pests and Pathogens and Relative Sustainable Strategies—5A722192113; PhD fellowship to MR) and through the ERA-NET action ARIMNET2 2015 call (project Sustainable Tomato Production—STomP).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 100, 95123, Catania, Italy

    Gaetano Siscaro, Carmelo Lo Pumo, Giovanna Tropea Garzia, Simona Tortorici, Antonio Gugliuzzo, Michele Ricupero, Antonio Biondi & Lucia Zappalà

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  1. Gaetano Siscaro
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  2. Carmelo Lo Pumo
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  3. Giovanna Tropea Garzia
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  6. Michele Ricupero
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  7. Antonio Biondi
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  8. Lucia Zappalà
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Correspondence to Gaetano Siscaro.

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Communicated by N. Desneux.

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Siscaro, G., Lo Pumo, C., Tropea Garzia, G. et al. Temperature and tomato variety influence the development and the plant damage induced by the zoophytophagous mirid bug Nesidiocoris tenuis. J Pest Sci 92, 1049–1056 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-019-01096-7

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