Estimating the population density of Vegetable leaf miner Liriomyza sativae Blanchard (Diptera:Agromyzidae) on Tomato and Cucumber crops in the Greenhouses

Abstract

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to estimate the larva densities of Liriomyza sativae on tomato and cucumber crops in the greenhouses of the Plant Protection Department at the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering Sciences / University of Baghdad / Al-Jadriya for the season 2021-2022. The average larva densities on tomato and cucumber crops were 4.67 and 9.67 larva / 15 leaves, respectively whereas, the average a number of tunnels was 12.33 and 25.33 tunnels / 15 leaves , respectively. The percentage of leaf infection was 28.88% and 33.33% for cucumber and tomato respectively in the first week of December 2021 and increased larva densities to 23.00 and 41.33 larva / 15 leaves, the average of number of tunnels was 61.00 and 87.33 larvae / 15 tunnels and the percentage of leaf infection was 93.33and 97.77% for cucumber and tomato respectively in the third week of April 2022. These results suggest that the variation in the densities of larvae, number of tunnels and the percentage of infection is related to variations in temperature and humidity during the planting season.