Insect Pest Incidences and Yields of Tomatoes Grown in High Tunnel and in Open Field in Mwea Division, Kirinyaga County, Kenya

摘要: Tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum, is a major horticultural crop grown in many areas Kenya. The main constraint to tomato production insect pests with farmers relying heavily on chemical pesticides control them. This has led several problems such as contamination of farm produce and pollution the environment among others. There need therefore for alternative methods pests. A study was carried out Mwea region Kirinyaga County assess incidences yields tomatoes open field high tunnel. Three varieties, grafted Onyx, non-grafted Onyx Anna F1 were planted two systems Complete Randomized Block Design. Data collection commenced weeks after transplanting. Assessing abundance by counting numbers mines leaves. Ripe harvested per variety, sorted classified into marketable unmarketable fruits. total fruit weights obtained. data different three varieties subjected Analysis Variance (ANOVA), while yield analyzed using paired sample t-test. significance level set at P= 0.05. means separated Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK). species recorded attacking Bemisia tabaci, Frankliniella occidentalis, Aphis gossypii Liriomyza trifolii. In cropping season one, mean F. B. A. L. trifolii significantly higher compared those two, tabaci tunnel (P=0.0001). However, there no significant differences between plants (P=0.107). one lower incidence this probably could have contributed encourage country embrace technology production.