Comparison of life history parameters of tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Lep.: Gelechiidae) on five cultivars of tomato

Tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), is one of the most important pests of tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L.. In this research, life history parameters of the tomato leafminer were studied on five tomato cultivars including: Super Strain B, Super Chief, Early UrbanaY111, Mobil and Early Urbana Y under greenhouse condition. The results indicated that the larval development on Mobil and Early Urbana Y was significantly slower than on the other cultivars. The number of eggs laid per female were highest on Super Strain B (114.05 ± 3.7) and lowest on Early UrbanaY (105.95 ± 4.4). The lowest survival rate from egg to adult was observed on Early Urbana Y. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) was statistically reduced on tomato cultivars in the following descending order: Super Strain B, Super Chief, Early UrbanaY111, Mobil and Early Urbana Y, respectively. The lowest finite rate of increase (λ) (1.141 day-1) and the longest generation time (T) (28.44 days) were calculated on Early Urbana Y. Therefore, it could be concluded that among the tested cultivars, Super Strain B is the most suitable and Early Urbana Y is the least suitable hosts for population growth of the tomato leafminer.