EFFECT OF SILICON, NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM IN THE INCIDENCE OF TOMATO PIN WORM IN INDUSTRIAL TOMATO PLANTS

Abstract

The tomato crop is exposed to many pests that limit yield. The aim of this research was to evaluate silicon, nitrogen and potassium effect on tomato pinworm injuries in tomato plants. The experiment was carried out under field conditions at, Brasília (DF), Brazil, in a completely randomized design, with 14 treatments (control - no fertilization; 2, 4, 6 and 8 kg.ha-1 of SiO2 applied on leaves surface; 60, 120, 180 e 240 kg.ha-1 of nitrogen; 100, 200, 300 e 400 kg.ha-1 of K2O; NPK according to soil analyses), in three tomato genotypes (‘Viradoro’,‘Tospodoro’ and ‘HEI 035’) in four replicates, in a total of 168 plots. The number of leaf mines was evaluated in ten plants per replicate, considering the third leaf from the top of two stems per plant. It was observed a decrease in the number of pinworm leaf mines with an increase in silicon and potassium doses and an increase in the number of mines with an increase on nitrogen doses.