Pacciamatura colorata per il pomodoro: entomofauna ospite e caratteristiche della produzione

COLOURED MULCHES ON TOMATO CROP (LYCOPERSICON ESCULENTUM MILL.): INSECTS PRESENCE AND YIELD A comparison trial with a traditional LDPE black film, a yellow film and a brown film, used for mulching an open field tomato crop (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), was conducted in order to assess the effect of the films on presence of insects and on yield. Results showed that presence of insects was higher in tomato plants cultivated on coloured films than in the control (plants cultivated without film). In particular a significant prevalence of Thysanoptera was found. The comparison of the number of Thysanoptera specimens captured on mulched treatments revealed no significant differences. In all samplings, the most abundant species was Thrips tabaci, known to be a vector of Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV). Presence of other Thysanoptera phytophages and predators was relatively low. In the context examined, the population of T. tabaci did not reach a sufficiently high density to cause crop decay. Moreover, no TSWV symptoms were detected. For these two reasons it can be stated that the species caused no economic damage. As regarding tomato yield, the mulching determined an increment in the fresh and dry weight and in crop production.