Tuta absoluta: what is it and how do you get rid of it?

Tuta absoluta larva
This article was originally published on the CABI BioProtection Portal blog. Visit the original blog post here. Tuta absoluta (Phthorimaea absoluta) is a highly destructive tomato pest in many areas of the world. Native to Peru, it is a species of moth that can quickly damage entire tomato crops. 
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Tolerance and range of Tuta absoluta may have been underestimated, study suggests

Phthorimaea absoluta in Kenya
The environmental tolerances and potential range of the tomato pest Tuta absoluta in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia and Australia may have been underestimated according to new research co-authored by CABI scientists.
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Stepping up the fight against Tuta Absoluta in Kenya with safer and sustainable biocontrol products

Tuta absoluta
Tomato is one of the most important vegetables grown by farmers in Kenya and plays an important role in generating employment and income. However, tomato production is limited by many factors, the most important of which are insect pests. Tomato farmers tend to control tomato pests with pesticide sprays, but these pose risks to the…
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Benefits of biocontrol products in the fight against Tuta absoluta

Tuta absoluta in Kenya
Tomato is one of the key vegetables grown by farmers in Kenya for income. However, production is constrained by numerous factors with insect pests as the most important. Farmers tend to manage tomato pests with pesticide sprays but these have associated risks to the environment, food safety and the health of sprayers.
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Working towards the formation of a Technical Working Group on Invasive Species in Kenya

FAW
A Technical Working Group (TWG) on Invasive Species in Kenya has been proposed to help the country tackle a range of crop pests – including the devastating Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) – which threaten livelihoods and local and national food security.
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Endophyte may protect tomatoes from Tuta absoluta pest attack

Healthy tomato crop
Successful colonization of tomato seedlings with Beauveria bassiana fungus could reduce crop losses  Trials in Brazil suggest seedling inoculation with the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana could be a viable commercial option for marketing pre-colonized tomato plants ‘resistant’ to the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta.
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Tomato farmers in Kenya believe area-wide pest management can easily be instituted and effectively control Tuta absoluta

Tuta absoluta in Kenya
Tomato is one of the most important vegetables grown in Kenya and plays a critical role in income generation and creation of employment for both rural and urban populations, in addition to meeting food nutritional requirements. Tuta absoluta – also known as tomato leafminer – is a native of South America (Peru) and is one…
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Using online workshops to ensure the fight against invasive species continues in Pakistan

As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues, CABI is ensuring that efforts to combat invasive species are continuing. The CABI centre in Pakistan organized a one-day online workshop on the development of Pest Management Decision Guides (PMDGs) and Technical Briefs on the invasive pests: fall armyworm, parthenium weed, and Tuta absoluta.
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Tomato farmers in Kenya willing to use integrated pest management and bioproducts to manage Tuta absoluta

Tomato is an important crop in meeting domestic nutritional food requirements as well as in income generation and creation of employment for both rural and urban populations in Kenya. However, tomato production is facing serious challenges from the invasive pest, Tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta.) Since 2014, T.absoluta has become the most serious threat to the sustainable production…
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