Effect of Weather Parameters on Incidence of Leaf Miner (Lirimomyza trifolii Burgess) Infesting Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

A field experiment was conducted during the Rabi seasons of 2021-22 and 2022-23 to study the influence of various meteorological parameters on the population dynamics of leaf miner infesting tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). The study was carried out at the Central Experiment Station, Wakawali, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli. During Rabi 2022-23 the leaves were infested by leaf miner, L. trifolli ranged between 12.02 to 41.03 per cent. While in Rabi 2023-24 it ranged from 4.30 to 43.13 per cent. The peak pest infestation was observed during the 8th and 10th SMW in Rabi 2022-23 and Rabi 2023-24, respectively. However, pooled data on both the years revealed that the leaves infestation was in the range of 8.16 to 39.98 per cent and peak was observed during the 9th SMW. During rabi 2022-23 the leaf miner showed a significant negative correlation with evening relative humidity (r=-0.684**), while significant positive correlation with evaporation (r=0.617**). During rabi 2023-24 the pest showed a significant positive correlation with maximum temperature (r=0.0.589*), bright sunshine hours (r=0.600*), wind speed (r=0.935**) and evaporation(r=0.847**), while significant negative correlation with morning relative humidity (r=-0.702**) and evening relative humidity(r=-0.564). The coefficient of determination (R2) indicated that, the weather parameters contributed to 90 per cent in Rabi 2022-23 and 95 per cent in Rabi 2023-24 of total variation in the population of leaf miner on tomato.