Flea beetles of eggplant: pests from the past and the search for resistant cultivars

Flea beetles have become notorious during the past five years. Feeding damage of flea beetle is characterized by shot holes mostly from the direct feeding punctures of the adults. During severe infestation, the leaves become tattered with the holes which are small initially, becoming bigger, and they eventually fall off due to excessive leaf damage. New shoots usually develop but once the adults consume the growing leaves again, the plant could no longer recover and consequently dies. Flea beetles were considered transient pests on eggplant from 2001 to 2003. Since then, they have become serious pests in greenhouses and surrounding fields of the Institute of Plant Breeding [Philippines Univ. Los Banos, College, Laguna, Philippines] as observed during the screening trials for leafhopper resistance in 2002. Based on the preliminary studies on the taxonomy of this insect group (GFB), there are at least three species of flea beetles involved. Flea beetle population has been observed to increase in many parts of the country especially in eggplant growing regions and farmers are beginning to complain about the damage inflicted on their crop. With the alarming population increase no control measure is at hand except the use of insecticides. All available eggplant varieties succumb to flea beetle infestation. Alternative control tactics are needed to abate flea beetle population explosion especially when planting the crop in monoculture. One option may be to plant resistant eggplant varieties when they become available and other economically important crops in a diversified cropping system and monitor the population of pests and natural enemies.It is therefore the objective of this project to conduct field studies of this nature. In addition, basic studies on the insect pests, will be given priority to generate baseline information for use as guide in developing appropriate management options for flea beetle attacking eggplant.