Performance of Wild Tomato Accessions and Elucidation of Resistance against Invasive Pest Phthorimaea absoluta Damage under Tropical Conditions

Invasive tomato leaf miner, Phthorimaea absoluta causes serious damage and yield loss in production open-field protected cultivation. Use of chemical pesticides is uneconomical adversely affects humans the environment. Host-plant resistance an effective, economical eco-friendly alternative to pesticides. In this study, four wild accessions from World Vegetable Center along with one susceptible check were evaluated for their antixenosis antibiosis effects on P. absoluta. The VI037241 (Solanum galapagense) VI037240 (S. cheesmaniae) highly resistant, leading 85% larval mortality under no-choice conditions. Choice assay also showed less oviposition preference reduced pupal weight. Both highest field S. habrochaites (LA1777) var. glabratum (VI030462) demonstrated moderate against Wild recorded significantly eggs trials compared genotype, lycopersicum (CL5915). Trichome density, type higher acylsugar contributed insect resistance. Acylsugar was during rainy season but than genotype. These findings can be useful develop absoluta-resistant varieties tropics.