Comparison of two Marks of Sex Pheromone Dispensers ... - Iresa

Comparison of two Marks of Sex Pheromone Dispensers 

Commercialized in Tunisia for their Efficiency to Monitor and 

to Control by Mass-Trapping Tuta absoluta under 

Greenhouses 

Khaled Abbes and Brahim Chermiti, Laboratoire d’Entomologie, Département 

des Invertébrés, Microorganismes, Malherbes Nuisibles: Méthodes Alternatives de 

Lutte. ISA Chott-Mariem, Université de Sousse, 4042 Sousse, Tunisia 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

ABSTRACT 

Abbes, K. and Chermiti, B. 2011. Comparison of two marks of sex pheromone dispensers 

commercialized in Tunisia for their efficiency to monitor and to control by mass-trapping Tuta 

absoluta under greenhouses. Tunisian Journal of Plant Protection 6: 133-148. 

The evaluation of the efficiency of two marks of sex pheromone dispensers used for mass-trapping of 

males of Tuta absoluta for monitoring and pest management showed that the number of trapped males 

peaked the second week following lure installation for Russell® dispensers to decrease afterwards until 

its renewal. In the case of Pherodis® lures, the level of catches starts to decline from the fourth week 

after the beginning of the experience. Concerning the use of pheromone traps for pest monitoring, 

linear regression between trap catches and the number of mines per leaf was not significant, but trap 

catches and the infestation rate of leaves were significantly related in studied greenhouses (R² = 0.68 

and 0.70). However, the assessment of the efficiency of sex pheromone mass-trapping in controlling T. 

absoluta revealed that in greenhouses not equipped with insect-proof, the level of fruit damage did not 

depend on the availability of sex pheromone traps suggesting that the use of this technique must be 

accompanied with isolation measures. 

Keywords: Delta traps fruit loss, infestation rate, population dynamics, sex pheromone lures, Tuta 

absoluta 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

Since the detection of Tuta absoluta 

in Tunisia in late 2008 (7), it was imposed 

to Tunisian farmers to revise their pest 

management strategies in tomato crops. 

Presently, regular chemical sprayings are 

very common to control this pest in 

greenhouses and in industrial crops. 

Chemicals lead to development of 

resistance to insecticides such as 

deltametrin and abamectin (16). 

Corresponding author: Brahim Chermiti 

Email: chermiti54@yahoo.fr 

Accepted for publication 10 October 2011 

Researchers are focusing on biological 

control as a safe and sustainable 

alternative for this problem (12). 

The Tunisian ministry of agriculture 

is encouraging the use of insect-proof 

screens with subsidies to limit damages. 

Besides, the use of bioinsecticides was 

promoted including Neem oil and 

Bacillus thuriengiensis based products to 

avoid resistance which participated to 

reduction of pest incidence especially in 

greenhouses. However, the single use of 

each of these alternatives is not enough 

and an integrated pest management (IPM) 

program needs to be developed and 

Tunisian Journal of Plant Protection 133 Vol. 6, No. 2, 2011

promoted to ensure a better control of this 

miner. 

Among IPM strategies, the use of 

sex pheromone traps is one of the most 

recognized tactics against the tomato pest 

that is becoming increasingly used 

worldwide. The market of sex 

pheromones lures used for mass-trapping 

of males of the tomato miner T. absoluta 

is experiencing a boom in Tunisia where 

several marks of sex pheromone baits are 

commercialized. All these pheromone 

lures have the same active component 

which is a synthetic pheromone of 

female, the 3E, 8Z, 11Z -3,8,11- 

tetradecatrien-1-yl acetate (13). The 

production technology can differ between 

products like the composition of the 

rubber capsules and the rate of diffusion 

of the pheromone into the air that 

determines its lifetime and consequently, 

its effectiveness. 

The aim of this study was: i) to 

compare the performance of two marks of 

the most used sex pheromone capsules in 

Tunisia, ii) to find out if trap catches 

reflect the infestation level of the crop, 

iii) to assess the situation with and 

without sex pheromone traps under 

greenhouses unprotected by insect-proof. 

Several parameters were studied like the 

number of trapped males, the abundance 

of the pest in the greenhouses and its 

population dynamics, the number of 

mines caused by larvae, the infestation 

rate of tomato leaves and the fruit loss. 

MATERIALS AND METHODS 

Tomato greenhouses. 

Six commercial greenhouses with 

three tomato cultivars (Pacal, Colibri, and 

Sahel) situated in the tomato cropping 

area of Teboulba (Sahel, Tunisia) were 

provided for free by a local farmer who 

volunteered to submit them to the 

experience. Tomato greenhouses planted 

with cultivars Colibri and Pacal were 

situated next to each other while 

Control[1] with Pacal cultivar, without 

sex pheromone trap, was 100 m away. 

Tomato greenhouses Sahel1 and Sahel2, 

planted with the cultivar Sahel, were 

located close to each other and 100 m far 

from the greenhouse Control[2] of the 

same cultivar. The distance between 

greenhouses with different marks of sex 

pheromone dispensers was 1 km to avoid 

interference. 

Experimental greenhouses were 60 

m length, 8 m wide and 3 m height with a 

total area of 500 m². They were covered 

with two years old polyethylene screens. 

Tomato plants were transplanted on the 

end of December with a density of 3 

plants/m² and a total number of 1500 

plants/greenhouse. No insecticides were 

sprayed against T. absoluta in all 

greenhouses throughout the test period 

and the same cultural practices were 

performed in all the six experimental 

greenhouses. 

Mass-trapping. 

Colibri and Pacal tomato 

greenhouses were equipped with one 

delta trap each as recommended under 

greenhouses with a density of one trap per 

500 m² (5). Water traps were baited with 

sex pheromone capsules mark Pherodis® 

installed from 05/03/2009 to 10/06/2009. 

Two other Delta traps loaded with 

Russel® sex pheromone lures were 

installed in the greenhouses Sahel1 and 

Sahel2 during the period between 

15/04/2009 and 03/06/2009. Sticky 

cardboards in all mentioned traps were 

renewed once a week from the beginning 

of the observations till April 1 st and twice 

a week during the rest of the experience 

period due to the increase of the 

population of the insect and their rapid 

saturation. Sex pheromone capsules were 

renewed every 4 weeks and the number of 

captured males of T. absoluta was 


ecorded every week before the change of 

the sticky cardboards. Traps were 

removed on 10/06/2009 from Pacal and 

Colibri crops and on 03/06/2009 from 

Sahel1 and Sahel2 greenhouses. Both 

types of pheromone capsules were 

standard pheromone lures, loaded with 

0.5 mg of synthetic sex pheromone of 

females of T. absoluta and bought from 

local suppliers. 

Sampling. 

In order to assess the infestation 

level in the experimental tomato crops 

with and without sex pheromone traps, 

sampling started on 05/03/2009 in Pacal 

and Colibri greenhouses and on 

19/03/2009 in Control[1] and took end on 

27/05/2009 and 03/06/2009, respectively. 

Sampling concerned the first fully 

developed leaf from the upper part of 

tomato plants as recommended by 

Gravena (15). The number of samples 

was 20 leaves per unit. Greenhouses were 

divided into 20 equal plots and limits 

between plots were marked by white 

paint on the black plastic mulch. Every 

week, one tomato leaf was collected from 

each plot and from a different tomato 

plant. Sampled plants were marked with 

red plastic stickers so that they would not 

be used for next week sampling. Leaves 

were observed under binoculars type 

Leica® Model MS5 and all present 

instars of T. absoluta were identified and 

counted. Only one sampling was missed 

in Control[1] on 15/04/2009 because of a 

fungicide spraying. 

Damaged fruits as well as the total 

production of each greenhouse were 

weighted after each harvest using an 

electronic scale. 

Statistical analysis. 

A linear regression analysis between 

the total number of mines per leaf (with 

and without larvae) as well as the 

infestation rate and the number of 

individuals per trap was performed in 

greenhouses Pacal and Colibri equipped 

with traps using GraphPad Prism Version 

5.00 to assess the efficiency of 

pheromone Delta traps for monitoring. 

RESULTS 

Performance of tow marks of sex 

pheromone lures. 

Sex Pheromone Bait Pherodis® 

mark. The number of trapped males in 

Colibri greenhouse started relatively low 

with 98 individuals per week to reach a 

maximum of 852 adults on 20/05/2009. 

During this gradual increase, each 

renewal of the capsule was often 

followed by an increase in the number of 

trapped adults (Fig. 1A). 

The figure of the evolution of masstrapping 

in Pacal greenhouse shows a 

similar shape to that of Colibri. Indeed, 

after 66 adults caught on 11/03/2009, the 

number of trapped males continued to 

increase steadily to exceed 883 on 

20/05/2009. The change of the 

pheromone bait on 27/05/2009 led to the 

raise of the number of caught males with 

a maximum of 961 individuals per trap 

recorded on 10/06/2009 in Pacal 

greenhouse. Besides, the renewal of the 

sticky boards tow times per week, starting 

from April 1 st , highly participated to the 

increase of trap efficiency (Fig. 1B). 


Fig. 1. Weekly evolution of trapped males of Tuta absoluta in greenhouses with Delta trap and Pherodis® sex 

pheromone lures in Teboulba in 2009. A: Greenhouse Colibri; B: Greenhouse Pacal; : Lure renewal. 

Sex Pheromone Bait Russel® 

mark. As far as greenhouses Sahel1 and 

Sahel2 were concerned, the level of 

captures was important. In fact, the 

number of captured males was 

respectively about 455 and 346 after the 

first week of the trap installation. The 

level of trapped adults peaked during the 

third week after the beginning of the 

survey at 690 and 703 correspondingly 

in greenhouses Sahel1 and Sahel2. The 

reduction of the number of strained 

males of T. absoluta at an average of 276 

individuals per trap and per week, 

between 13/05/2009 and 20/05/2009, can 

be partially explained by the reduction of 

the attractiveness of Russel® pheromone 

lures especially near the end of its 

lifetime. The renewal of both lures on 

13/05/2009 combined with the high level 

of population in May and June can 

explain in part the gradual increase of 

the number of trapped males which 

reached 898 and 1111 per trap and per 

week on 27/05/2009 and 03/06/2009 in 

Sahel1 and Sahel2, respectively (Fig. 2). 

Efficiency of pheromone traps for 

monitoring. 

Tunisian Journal of Plant Protection 136 

One of the most important questions 

about the use of mass sex pheromone 

traps for monitoring this pest is: does the 

number of trapped males of T. absoluta in 

the sex pheromone bait traps reflects the 

real level of damage in tomato crops and 

the infestation rate of plants? 

To assess the relationship between 

trap catches, the infestation rates and the 

number of mines per leaf, a linear 

regression analysis was performed 

between the number of caught males of 

T. absoluta in the sex pheromone traps 

equipped with Pherodis® lures, the 

number of mines per leaf and the 

infestation rate of leaves. Analysis 

showed a non significant relationship 

between the number of mines per leaf 

and the number of trapped males of the 

miner in both studied greenhouses (R² = 

0.26, P = 0.058 > 0.05 for Pacal and R² = 

0.18, P = 0.12 > 0.05 for Colibri) (Fig. 

3A, B). However, linear regression 

between the infestation rate of leaves and 

the number of catches in sex pheromone 

traps was highly significant in Pacal (R² 

= 0.68, P = 0.003 < 0.05) and Colibri (R² 

= 0.70, P = 0.0002 < 0.05) (Fig. 4A, B). 

Vol. 6, No. 2, 2011

Fig. 2. Weekly evolution of trapped males of Tuta absoluta in greenhouses with Delta trap and Russel® sex 

pheromone lures in Teboulba in 2009. A: Greenhouse Sahel1; B: Greenhouse Sahel2; : Lure renewal. 

Y= -0.0010X-18.16 

A 

Fig. 3. Linear regression between the number of caught males of Tuta absoluta and the number of mines per leaf 

in Pacal (A) (R² = 0.26) and Colibri (B) (R² = 0.18) in Teboulba in 2009 (Values at 95% confidence level). 

Efficiency of mass-trapping in 

pest management. 

Greenhouses with traps. Results of 

Pacal and Colibri experimental 

greenhouses reflected the occurrence of 

all instars of the pest on young tomato 

leaves with the continuous dominance of 

eggs and first instar caterpillars during all 

the period of the study. However, the 

presence of older instars even with low 


densities from March confirms that the 

infestation occurred earlier and started 

before the beginning of the experiment 

(Figs. 5A, 5B). The analysis of the 

population structure of T. absoluta on 

young tomato leaves in the two studied 

greenhouses revealed that the overall 

density of individuals per leaf remained 

low throughout March till mid-April. 

During this phase, the number of 

Vol. 6, No. 2, 2011

individuals did not exceed 3 per leaf 

corresponding to a total number of larvae 

fewer than 2 per leaf (Fig. 6). One week 

later, T. absoluta population began to 

increase with favorable temperatures to 

reach 20 individuals per leaf in Pacal 

greenhouse on 27/05/2009 and 21 

individuals in Colibiri on 13/05/2009 

(Figs. 5A, 5B) corresponding to a total 

number of larvae peaking at 13.3 and 16.6 

larvae per leaf in Pacal and Colibri, 

respectively (Fig. 6). The maximum of 

leaf mines was closely related to the 

density of T. absoluta caterpillars, 

especially that of neonate larvae. Indeed, 

peaks of mines in both crops 

corresponded perfectly to those of first 

instar larvae respectively recorded on 

27/05/2009 for Pacal and on 13/05/2009 

for Colibri greenhouses (Figs. 5B, 5D). 

In both greenhouses with 

pheromone traps, the maximum density 

of the pest on the crops, resulting mainly 

from the increase of the number of eggs 

on leaves, caused a high infestation rate 

around 100% on 22/04/2009 (Figs. 7B, 

7D). The damage caused by T. absoluta 

larvae on tomato leaves in both 

greenhouses led to a high density of 

mines rising up to an average of 26 mines 

per leaf starting from 13/05/2009 (Figs. 

7A, 7C). 

In the first half of May, all the 

studied parameters were at their 

maximum with an infestation rate of 

young leaves around 100% and an 

average of 30 mines per leaf. The end of 

the experiment was characterized by a 

reduction of the density of all instars on 

tomato leaves. 

Y=0.050X+9.10 

Fig. 4. Linear regression between the number of caught males of Tuta absoluta and the infestation rate of leaves 

in Pacal (A) (R² = 0.68) and Colibri (B) (R² = 0.70) in Teboulba in 2009 (Values at 95% confidence level). 


Vol. 6, No. 2, 2011

Fig. 5. Population dynamics of Tuta absoluta under greenhouses with sex pheromone Delta traps in Teboulba in 

2009. A: Pacal; B: Colibri; W: eggs; L1: first instar larvae; L2: second instar larvae; L3: third instar larvae; L4: 

fourth instar larvae; N: nymphs. 

Fig. 6. Evolution of the total number of Tuta absoluta larvae per leaf in Colibri and Pacal tomato 

cultivars. 


Vol. 6, No. 2, 2011

B 

C 

D 

Fig. 7. Weekly evolution of the infestation rate and the average number of mines of Tuta absoluta on tomato 

leaves in greenhouses with sex pheromone Delta traps in Teboulba in 2009. A and B: Pacal; C and D: Colibri. 

Greenhouses without traps. 

Population dynamics of T. absoluta in 

Control[1], without sex pheromone trap, 

followed almost the same pattern as 

greenhouses equipped with Delta traps 

baited with sex pheromone lures. Indeed, 

throughout the month of March, the 

overall density of all biological instars of 

the pest hardly exceeded 3.5 individuals 

per leaf with predominance of eggs. 

During the month of May, the population 

increased significantly and continuously, 

reaching a maximum of 25 individuals 


(Fig. 8) and 15.17 larvae per leaf on 

27/05/2009 (Fig. 9) causing a raising 

infestation rate around 100% on 

06/05/2009 (Fig. 10B). 

The number of leaf mines was 

initially low on March and April, and 

increase during May to reach a maximum 

of 37 mines per leaf on 03/06/2009 (Fig. 

10A). The same decline of population 

observed in greenhouses with pheromone 

traps at the end of May was recorded 

again in Control[1]. 

Vol. 6, No. 2, 2011

Fig. 8. Population dynamics of Tuta absoluta on tomato leaves in Control[1], without sex pheromone 

trap, in Teboulba in 2009. W: eggs; L1: first instar larvae; L2: second instar larvae; L3: third instar 

larvae; L4: fourth instar larvae; N: nymphs. 

Fig.9. Evolution of the total number of Tuta absoluta larvae per tomato leaf in the Control[1] 

greenhouse. 


Vol. 6, No. 2, 2011

Fig. 10. Weekly evolution of the average number of mine of Tuta absoluta (A) and the infestation rate (B) 

on tomato leaves in the Control[1] greenhouse, without sex pheromone traps in Teboulba in 2009. 

B 

Tomato fruit loss. 

Loss of tomato fruits in 

experimental greenhouses was 

considerable. Indeed, they became 

obvious from 15/04/2009 with around 50 

kg/greenhouse, but with the growing of 

T. absoluta population, damage has 

become increasingly important reaching 

1440 kg for a total harvest of 3280 kg in 

Colibri greenhouse, representing 43.90% 

loss (Fig. 11C). As for Pacal greenhouse, 

the damage caused by this pest was 

about 1290 kg for a total production of 

2980 kg, representing 43.28% of yield 

loss (Fig. 11D). Fruit loss in Control[1] 

greenhouse was 1570 kg of a total 

production of 3720 kg corresponding to 

42.22% of the total harvest, similarly to 

greenhouses with sex pheromone traps. 

Loss in Control[2] greenhouse was about 

18.35% (Fig. 11B). 

DISCUSSION 

The high number of caught 

individuals of T. absoluta per week in 

Delta traps with Russel® sex pheromone 

lures was probably due to a greater 

attractiveness of this lure towards males 

of the tomato miner or may be a 

consequence of a superior level of 

populations in the greenhouses where 

evaluation took place. Pheromone lures 

were not evaluated in the same 

greenhouse to avoid interference. 

However, some evaluation works of sex 

pheromone lures of T. absoluta and their 

longevity were carried out in Spain like 

that of Alfaro et al. (2) who used one 

greenhouse to evaluate 6 pheromone 

dispensers of different marks with weekly 

rotation of traps loaded with different 

types of capsules. They concluded that 

the pheromone capsule type Trécé179® 

has a higher level of capture and a better 

longevity. The area of the greenhouse 

used for this experiment was not 

mentioned in the paper but even in a big 

one and rotation of Delta traps, the risk of 

interference is still high. In open field 

conditions, a distance of 25 m between 

traps may reduce trap interference. 


Vol. 6, No. 2, 2011

A 

B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

Fig. 11. Cumulated loss of tomato fruits due to Tuta absoluta infestation recorded in the experimental 

greenhouses in Teboulba in 2009. A: Control[1]; B: Control[2]; C: Colibri; D: Pacal; E: Sahel1; F: Sahel2. 


Vol. 6, No. 2, 2011

Concerning the second type of 

tested pheromone lures, the average of 

weekly catches in traps with Pherodis® 

dispensers was in constant increase even 

after the first four weeks of the beginning 

of the experiment. However the slight 

decrease of catches recorded between 

15/04/2009 and 29/04/2009 in greenhouse 

Pacal could be explained by the end of 

the life time of the lure. Another decrease 

in the number of caches in both 

greenhouses with Delta traps and 

Pherodis® pheromone baits was observed 

on 20/05/2009, three weeks after the 

renewal of the lures. The number of 

strained males of T. absoluta declined 

from 852 to 532 and from 883 to 442 in 

Colibri and Pacal greenhouses, 

respectively. As pheromones are very 

volatile, this sharp decrease can be 

explained by the elevated temperatures 

which increased from an average of 

16.25°C in April to 19.6°C (6) in May 

that can accelerate the release of the 

pheromone from the rubber septa (4). 

In the case of Russel® pheromone 

capsules, there was a significant reduction 

of catches in the traps even in April 

characterized with cool temperature (11 

to 20°C) (6). By the end of the fourth 

week from the second renewal of the lure 

on 13/05/2009, the number of catches was 

350 to 450 individuals less. 

Based on these results, we can 

deduce that Russel® capsules may have 

greater attractiveness toward males of the 

tomato leaf miner than those of 

Pherodis® due to the high number of 

attracted males immediately after its 

installation, but the number of strained 

males of the miner decreased significantly 

from the second week. In the other hand, 

Pherodis® pheromone lures have 

apparently better performance due to the 

relatively high number of trapped males 

even four weeks after their installation. 

Results of linear regression between 

the number of trapped males and the 

infestation level suggest the utilization of 

the sex pheromone traps as good 

indicators of the infestation rate of the 

crop. Some authors recommend 30 

trapped males per trap and per week to 

start chemical curative measures (4). 

Monitoring is very important in IPM 

programs; it allows the detection of the 

early infestations. Sprayings of chemicals 

based on data from pheromones traps are 

usually more effective in controlling first 

attacks and avoiding the rapid 

colonization of the crop. This can 

significantly reduce the number of 

sprayed insecticides, and preserve natural 

enemies of the pest. For instance, Merid 

bug Nesidiocoris tenuis, an efficient 

natural enemy of T. absoluta, especially 

in open field (1), was very influenced by 

chemicals in Brazil where pest control 

was mainly based on heavy insecticide 

sprays reaching 36 treatments per season 

(14). Cônsoli et al. (11) reported a 

decrease in parasitism of Trichogramma 

pretiosum by application of tebufenozide. 

The assessment of the efficiency of 

sex pheromone mass-trapping as pest 

management technique in Pacal and 

Colibri greenhouses as compared to 

Control[1] showed a relatively lower pest 

density than in greenhouses equipped 

with sex pheromone traps. However, the 

infestation rate and the number of mines 

per leaf were similar in different 

greenhouses. The decrease of the density 

of the pest population at the end of the 

survey is probably due to the widespread 

devastation of the canopies of tomato 

plants due to the high number of feeding 

larvae, causing a decrease of the number 

of eggs and juvenile instars on leaves. 

Indeed, young leaves are preferential 

oviposition sites for T. absoluta females 

which move to lay eggs on stems and 


especially fruits causing considerable 

losses. 

Fruit loss in experimental crops was 

similar and does not depend on the 

availability of sex pheromone traps in the 

greenhouses. Admittedly, sex pheromone 

traps attract a considerable number of 

males and therefore may reduce 

possibilities of mating and oviposition on 

tomato plants. This is true only when 

greenhouses are isolated with an insectproof 

to avoid gravid females coming 

from outside. In the opposite case, the 

trap can attract a significant number of 

males from the outside and may increase 

the mating probabilities inside the 

greenhouse especially when the sex 

pheromone baits are old and attracted 

males are not trapped. This can explain 

the situation in greenhouses Sahel1 and 

Sahel2 equipped with sex pheromone 

traps which showed an average loss of 

1155 kg compared to an average total 

production of 4240 kg, corresponding to 

27% damage (Fig. 11F). Hence, fruit loss 

in Control[2] greenhouse of the same 

cultivar, not equipped with a sex 

pheromone trap, was 760 kg for a total 

production of 4140 kg representing 

18.35% of non commercialized fruits 

which means 8.65% less damage. 

Chermiti et al. (10) found that fruit loss 

was between 11 and 43.33% of the total 

yield in greenhouses with similar 

conditions. In the same context, Caffarini 

et al. (9) reported non significant 

regression between damaged leaf areas 

and fruit injuries in case of low 

infestation levels of T. absoluta. In other 

words, fruit loss was unpredictable (R² = 

0). Therefore, it is clear that the use of 

mass-trapping alone for controlling T. 

absoluta is not sufficient and may even 

worsen the situation; so it must be 

accompanied at least by the use of insectproof 

and strict isolation measures in 

greenhouse doors (double door system) 

and aeration windows and if necessary 

additional chemical sprayings. 

Nevertheless, the wrong use of insectproof 

can cause high temperature and 

relative humidity inside greenhouses 

leading to fungal attacks (Grey mold, late 

blight, etc…) as well as extra production 

charges. 

Independently of the level of 

population in studied greenhouses, tested 

pheromone lures showed different 

performance among the experiment 

period. Pherodis® lures were relatively 

more stable since they ensured a high 

number of trapped males even after four 

weeks of their installation which is not 

the case for Russel® lures where a 

significant decrease of the level of 

strained males was observed. 

Mass-trapping can be an interesting 

technique to monitor and to control the 

tomato pest T. absoluta especially in an 

IPM program. However, special 

precautions should be taken such as the 

choice of sex pheromone capsules which 

must have a sufficient longevity (4-5 

weeks) and constant rate of pheromone 

release, the use of insect-proof to prevent 

the infiltration of adults from outside and 

the regular renewal of the capsules 

according to recommendations of the 

producer. Besides, pheromone dose in the 

lures must be analyzed before importation 

in credible laboratories to guarantee their 

quality. 

Within IPM strategies, sex 

pheromone mass-trapping could be very 

promising to help establishment of both 

exotic and endemic natural enemies of 

this pest and reduce high costs of 

chemical control as well as side effect on 

beneficial insects (19). However, experts 

are very concerned about “arbitrary mass 

promotion” of T. absoluta pheromones to 

untrained farmers and the abusive use of 

this technique as a “political quick fix” of 

the problem. Pheromones should not be 


considered in any case as “feel good 

factor”. While companies are focusing on 

increasing dosing level in pheromones 

dispenser looking for more effective 

mass-trapping product, little work was 

done to study the influence of other 

factors on mass-trapping such us trap 

design. Fernando et al. (13) proved that 

this latter can significantly influence trap 

capture which was recently confirmed in 

recent studies in Morocco (3). The 

combination of super dosed pheromone 

capsules with inefficient trap designs 

raises concerns about possibilities to an 

increase in insect population in 

greenhouses and potential amplification 

in damage especially that farmers are 

making their own traps in the most of the 

invaded countries. Researches need to be 

continued with sex pheromones of T. 

absoluta to develop a reliable technique 

of sexual confusion which is potential 

management strategy (17, 18). 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

The authors thank the General Directorate of 

the Protection and the Control of the Agricultural 

Product Quality (Ministry of Agriculture) and Mrs. 

Naziha Trimech from Agricultural Service 

Cooperative “ESSAADA”, Teboulba, for their 

serious involvement to achieve this field work. 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

RESUME 

Abbes K. et Chermiti B. 2011. Comparaison de l’efficacité de deux marques de capsules à 

phéromone sexuelle commercialisées en Tunisie pour la surveillance et la lutte par le piégeage de 

masse contre Tuta absoluta sous serres. Tunisian Journal of Plant Protection 6: 133-148. 

L’évaluation de l’efficacité de deux marques de capsules à phéromones sexuelles utilisées dans le 

piégeage de masse des mâles de Tuta absoluta comme un moyen de détection et de lutte a montré que 

le volume des captures atteint son maximum à la deuxième semaine pour les capsules Russel® pour 

diminuer par la suite jusqu’à son renouvellement. Dans le cas de la capsule Pherodis®, le niveau des 

captures commence à diminuer à partir de la quatrième semaine de l’installation de la capsule. 

Concernant l’utilisation des pièges à phéromone sexuelle pour la surveillance des populations, la 

régression linéaire entre le niveau des captures et le nombre des galeries par feuille était non 

significative; alors que le taux d’infestation et le nombre des captures dans les pièges étaient 

significativement liés dans les serres étudiées (R² = 0,68 et 0,70); ceci suggère son emploi comme un 

indicateur du niveau d’infestation des cultures de tomate pour la prise de décision. Cependant, 

l'évaluation de l'efficacité de piégeage de masse a révélé que le niveau de dégâts sur les fruits ne 

dépend pas de la pose des pièges à phéromone sexuelle, mais plutôt de l’isolation de la serre du milieu 

extérieur par des filets insect-proof. 

Mots clés: Capsules à phéromone sexuelle, dynamique des populations, pertes en fruits, pièges Delta, 

taux d’infestation, Tuta absoluta 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

.2011 

الطماطم/البندورة Tuta absoluta 

Tunisian Journal of Plant Protection 6: 133-148. 

ملخص 

عباس،‏ خالد وبراهيم شرميطي.‏ 

لرصد ومكافحة حافرة 

مقارنة فعالية نوعين من آبسولات الفيرومون الجنسي المسوقة في تونس 

باستعمال الصيد المكثف.‏ 

اهتمت هذه الدراسة بمقارنة نوعين من آبسولات الفرومون المستخدمة في المصائد الفيرومونية لحافرة الطماطم/‏ 

البندورة.‏ وقد بينت أن عدد الفراشات الممسوآة يبلغ أقصاه في الأسبوع الثاني من بدء استعمال المصيدة بالنسبة للكبسولة 

فإن عدد 

من نوع Russel® لتنخفض بعد ذلك حتى موعد تغييرها.‏ أما بالنسبة إلى الكبسولة من نوع 

الفراشات الممسوآة لا ينخفض إلا انطلاقا من الأسبوع الرابع.‏ أآدت هذه الدراسة عدم وجود علاقة بين عدد الفراشات 

الممسوآة وعدد الأنفاق في الأوراق ولكن وجود علاقة وثيقة بين نسبة إصابة الأوراق وعدد الفراشات في المصيدة = R²) 

Pherodis® 


مما يشير إلى إمكانية الاعتماد على المصائد الفيرومونية آمؤشر جيد على مستوى الإصابة لأخذ التدابير 

اللازمة.‏ بين تقييم مدى نجاعة تقنية المكافحة باستعمال المصائد الفيرومونية في الدفيئات دون وضع شباك واقية من 

الحشرات أن مستوى إصابة الثمار لا يعتمد على وجود المصائد الفيرومونية من عدمه وان استعمال هذه الأخيرة يجب أن 

يكون مصاحبا بإجراءات عزل.‏ 

0.68 0.70) 

آلمات مفتاحية:‏ آبسولات فيرومونية،‏ دينامكية المجتمع الحشري،‏ خسائر الثمار،‏ مصيدة دلتا،‏ نسبة الإصابة.‏ 

___________________________________________________________________________ 

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Comparison of two Marks of Sex Pheromone Dispensers ... - Iresa

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