Susceptibility of Seven Tomato Varieties to Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Colorado Potato Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Leaf Infestation

The development and deployment of crop varieties that resist or tolerate insect attack is one tactic of pest management that can eliminate one or more spray applications per season, a significant savings to the grower. Seven tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cultivars (Marmand, Edkawy, VF-145, GS-27, Pakmore-B, Flordade, and UCX) were evaluated under greenhouse conditions for differences in mortality and feeding behavior (leaf-area ingested) of the 4th instar larvae of Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd) and the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say). The most resistant cultivars to S. littoralis during two summer seasons, 1990 and 1991, were Edkawy and UCX (37% mortality) and VF-145 (33% mortality). Mortality was least (20%) on the F1 hybrid GS-27, indicating that GS-27 was the most favorable cultivar for S. littoralis. L. decemlineata larvae reared on excised tomato leaflets of the same varieties indicated similar trends. Factors responsible for greater resistance of Edkawy and UCX to S. littoralis and L. decemlineata are under investigation.