Paola Sotelo-Cardona

Since its initial detection in the United States in 2002, emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), has caused extensive mortality of ash (Fraxinus spp.) primarily across the East and Midwest. More recent detections in Colorado and Oregon mark a westward expansion of EAB into regions that differ markedly in climate and ash distribution from previously infested areas. These differences necessitate a reassessment of surveillance strategies, management tactics, and long-term planning for EAB in the West. Here, we summarize the current distribution of EAB in the West, describe state-level response efforts, and synthesize available information on monitoring, spread dynamics, and management strategies within a western context. We also discuss challenges associated with symptom-based assessment in the West, and emphasize the importance of coordinated regional responses, proactive planning, and sustained public outreach. Together, this synthesis provides a framework to support informed decision-making and adaptive management as EAB continues to expand across the West.

Thrips are the most devastating pests globally and significantly reduce productivity and quality of chili plants and fruits. Thrips infest chili crops, causing direct damage by feeding on leaves, fruits, and flowers and indirect damage as vectors for tospoviruses. Enhancing host plant resistance is a sustainable and eco-friendly approach to managing pests. Twenty-three entries, previously identified as resistant to the twospotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch), along with thrips-resistant entries identified through field-based observations, were evaluated against Thrips palmi Karny under controlled environmental conditions. Three Capsicum annuum and 6 C. chinense entries were identified as resistant to thrips. Validation screening confirmed these 9 entries as being resistant to T. palmi. A total of 7,072 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified through ddRAD sequencing of the 9 resistant entries were used for phylogenetic analysis. The entries clustered by species, with C. chinense forming a distinct clade separate from C. annuum; however, within each clade, the highly resistant entries were genetically divergent, suggesting the presence of diverse resistance genes. The diverse sources of host resistance to T. palmi identified provide a basis for future research in understanding host–arthropod interactions and breeding schemes to achieve higher levels of resistance in chili peppers.

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

The effects of different protective structures on horticultural and nutritional yield of amaranth and water spinach were studied in three seasons of 2020–2021 in Taiwan. The number of people that can receive recommended dietary intake of iron and β-Carotene from vegetables grown under different production conditions was also estimated. The yield of white and red amaranths was consistently better (7.68–19.70 t/ha) under pink poly-net house in all the seasons, but the yield of water spinach was consistently better under white poly-net house (16.25–20.88 t/ha). Spider mite (fall & spring) and aphid (winter) infestation was mostly observed on all crops under poly-net houses. Neoxanthin, lutein and β-carotene were almost two-fold higher in red amaranth harvested from poly-net houses than open field. Based on the RDI values, β-Carotene supply to both men and women (14+) was consistently higher in all crops produced under pink ploy-net houses in all seasons, except for white amaranth produced under white poly-net house during winter. Its supply to 64,788 more men and 83,298 more women was estimated for red amaranth harvested from pink poly-net house than other production conditions. α-carotene was 2–3 fold higher in amaranths and water spinach harvested from poly-net houses than open field. The iron content of the amaranths was lower in poly-net houses (234.50–574.04 g/ha) than open field (645.42–881.67 g/ha) in the fall, but its supply from pink poly-net house was comparable with open field in the winter. However, pink poly-net house was the highest iron supplier from water spinach (323.90 g/ha) in the winter, which was estimated to provide iron to 19,450–22,939 more men and women than other production conditions. Both poly-net houses were the sole supplier of iron through amaranths in the spring, with pink poly-net house supplying iron to 2,000–5,000 more men and women. Thus, protected cultivation not only leads to more marketable yields but also results in higher quantities of health promoting nutrients. Hence, pink poly-net house may be considered to produce more nutritious vegetables, especially during the off-season to bridge the gaps in the seasonal variations in vegetable consumption, besides providing better income opportunities to the smallholder farmers.

The South American tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), one of the most important invasive insect pests affecting tomato production worldwide, was for the first time detected in Myanmar. Preliminary surveys on pest occurrence on tomato crops in Myanmar suggested the presence of T. absoluta in Southern Shan State, but there was no official survey conducted until the end of 2019. Therefore, this study aimed to confirm the presence of T. absoluta in Myanmar. The presence of T. absoluta was specifically observed in the Southern Shan State, which is the largest tomato production area in Myanmar, where tomato is grown under two cultivation methods, floating and land cultivation. The highest T. absoluta infestation was recordedat Kalaw with (82%), followed by Inle Lake (i.e., floating cultivation) (20%) and Pin Ta Ya (10%). The amount of T. absoluta larvae was significantly higher in the lower third of the plants, followed by the middle section and upper section, respectively, in three fields surveyed. Potential and severe economic damage may be expected if management practices are not in place to reduce the presence of this invasive pest. It is of immediate importance that plant protection and quarantine offices of ASEAN member states coordinate their response to T. absoluta and build their capacity to monitor the pest and develop a strategy for when it arrives. In addition, a suitable management strategy is needed to reduce the occurrence of this invasive pest.

Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most economically important pests of tomato worldwide. Despite its global importance, the management of this oligophagous pest has still been a challenging task, due to its high capability to develop resistance against synthetic insecticides. Given the limited studies on the effectiveness of different bio-pesticides in India, the objective of this research was to determine the pathogenicity of different commercial formulations of Beauveria bassiana, Bacillus thuringiensis, and neem (Azadirachtin), against T. absoluta, under laboratory and field conditions. For the Bacillus thuringiensis formulations, Green Larvicide^® and Delfin^® recorded an LC₅₀ of 4.10 × 10⁹ CFU/mL and 8.06 × 10⁶ spores/mg, respectively, while for the B. bassiana formulations, Green Beauveria^® and BB Power^® were 4.473 × 10⁷ spores/mL and 1.367 × 10⁷ CFU/g, respectively. Furthermore, the results showed high susceptibility to both the commercial neem formulations with Ecotin^®, recording an LC₅₀ of 91.866 ppm, and Econeem Plus^® recording 212.676 ppm. The results from the field conditions at different locations of Andhra Pradesh, India, showed significant differences (p < 0.001) for leaf and fruit infestation among the interaction effect of treatments and locations. Bio-pesticides, especially neem and B. thuringiensis formulations, reduced T. absoluta infestation similarly to the chemical treatment, without affecting the yield. Therefore, bio-pesticides can be considered as safe alternatives to synthetic pesticides, for the management of T. absoluta.

Tomato continues to be one of the most important crops worldwide, and protected cultivation is practiced to overcome the biotic and abiotic stresses to which the plant are exposed during growth. In this study we evaluated the effect of colored net houses on the growth, yield and nutritional values, as well as the incidence of common pests under three different light conditions: (1) colored (magenta), (2) conventional (white), and open field conditions. A colored net house led the plants to grow taller with higher lycopene content, but recorded a higher number of whiteflies, compared to the conventional net house and open field conditions. Furthermore, plants under protected structures recorded lower SPAD values, but larger terminal leaflets, lower damage by leaf miners, but more damage caused by spider mites compared to those plants grown under open field conditions. Overall, we found that the use of colored net houses provided a positive effect on tomato production in terms of improvement in morphometric parameters, however, to obtain higher yields under this production system, it is important to reduce the elevated temperature and increase the relative humidity inside the protective structures to be adapted for local growing conditions in Taiwan.