Foliar sugar microdoses as a biocontrol approach against the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta: A sustainable pest management strategy

Tomato crops are highly susceptible to pests like Tuta absoluta, and current chemical control is detrimental to human health, the environment, and leads to resistance development. This study explores biocontrol by applying microdoses of sugars (fructose and sucrose) to tomato leaves to induce resistance against Tuta absoluta larvae. Tomato plants of the Saada variety received 100 ppm and 1000 ppm of sucrose, fructose, and their mixture. It was noted that the 1000 ppm sucrose-fructose association (applied one after another) provided initial protection during the first three weeks, while fructose alone and the mixture were better in the last three weeks. Fructose at 1000 ppm and the sucrose-fructose association maintained the infestation rate similar to the control. The mixture also inhibited the density of L1, L2, and L4 larvae, though L3 larvae were not inhibited. These observations underscore the promise of sugar-based therapies as biodegradable biocontrol agents, providing a green alternative to chemical pesticides.