Harmfulness and population dynamics of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) in Strumica region

The objective of this research is to monitor the number of tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) population in the Strumica region, over two harvests, spring and summer, in 2011. We also made a comparison between the damage of tomatoes, caused by tomato leaf miner in the spring and summer harvest. Tests were carried out on production plot with an area of 0,1 ha in the Strumica region, Republic of Macedonia. Pest monitoring was performed using yellow sticky traps and pheromone traps. Both methods proved to be quite effective for monitoring the pest population. According to our surveys, the damages on tomatoes were much larger in the second, apart from damaged tomatoes in the first harvest. With tomatoes from the first harvest, the largest and most visible damages were to the leaves of the plant, although, in individual cases, were observed damages on the flower branches and the flowers of the plant. Damages caused by the leaf miner in tomatoes from the second harvest, were visible at all organs of the plant. The greatest were damages on the leaves, but significant damages were made on the flower branches, flowers and fruits of tomatoes