Comparative Efficacy of Two Sex Pheromone Trap Types (Deltasan and Tutasan) for Monitoring and Mass Trapping of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in Tomato Crops in Cote d’Ivoire

Abstract

Aims: This study evaluated the comparative effectiveness of two pheromone trap designs, Deltasan and Tutasan, for capturing the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), a major pest of tomato crops in Côte d’Ivoire. Study Design: The experiment was conducted in Yamoussoukro, central Côte d’Ivoire, on a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) field where adult male captures were recorded from five randomly selected traps of each type during each sampling period. Place and Duration of Study: The study took place from July to September 2024 during the rainy season in the village of Gogokro (6°49′ N, 5°26′ W). Methodology: Count data were analyzed using a Generalized Linear Model (GLM) with a negative binomial distribution to account for data non-normality and overdispersion typical of insect populations. Results: A significant interaction was observed between trap type and crop phenological stage. During the flowering stage, no significant difference was detected between Deltasan and Tutasan traps. However, during the fruiting and ripening stages, the Tutasan trap captured significantly more adults than the Deltasan trap. Overall, capture numbers increased with crop development, particularly for Tutasan traps. Conclusion: These results highlight that the efficacy of pheromone traps varies with the phenological stage of the tomato crop. The Tutasan trap proved more efficient for both monitoring and mass trapping of T. absoluta during critical periods of infestation. This study provides insights for optimizing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies against T. absoluta and related Gelechiidae pests in tropical tomato production systems.