STUDY OF THE REPELLENT EFFECT OF MARIGOLD (Tagetes spp.) AGAINST THE TOMATO LEAFMINER (Tuta absoluta), A DANGEROUS PEST OF TOMATO CROPS

The article discusses the importance of tomato as a valuable vegetable crop, its nutritional and health benefits, and the challenges posed by plant diseases and insect pests during tomato production. Information is provided on the taxonomic classification of the tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta), one of the most destructive pests affecting tomato yield and quality, as well as the nature of the damage it causes. The tomato leafminer is an oligophagous insect, infesting plants of the Solanaceae family. Since the larvae penetrate and develop inside plant tissues, effective control is difficult. Therefore, the use of repellent plants is recommended as an environmentally friendly management strategy. In this study, the repellent effect of marigold (Tagetes spp.) against the tomato leafminer was investigated. Although marigold exhibited repellent activity against T. absoluta, the study also demonstrated that it acted as an attractant to certain harmful insects, particularly flower thrips. Consequently, the application of biological control methods is recommended to overcome these limitations.