Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), a new pest in Montenegro

Abstract: In the past few years Tuta absoluta has spread rapidly through Mediterraneancountries. Tuta absoluta is considered to be one of the most important lepidopterous pests ontomato. The main area of tomato production in Montenegro is in the south of the country, wherecrops are typically grown in greenhouses. In order to detect the arrival of this pest, pheromonetraps were set up in greenhouses, at four locations, at the beginning of July 2010. The firstcaptured moths were found in the middle of July in one locality at the coast. In the period fromthe last week of July to the first week of August, large galleries in tomato leaves, green and ripefruits were detected at all four monitored locations, as well as at some other sites. The samesymptoms as those on tomato were detected on leaves of Solanum nigrum, which as a weed, isusually present around and inside greenhouses. At one location, during the end of August,symptoms were detected on aubergine leaves which were grown outdoors. From symptoms oninfested plants, morphological features of larval instars, pupae and adult moths, the presence ofTuta absoluta, as a new pest in Montenegro, was confirmed.