Recognizing which pests tomatoes are most vulnerable to at each stage of plant development is extremely important. Seedling tomatoes are especially vulnerable to flea beetles, while stink bugs do most of their damage to fruit. Lepidopteran pests can defoliate and interfere with photosynthesis.

Flea beetles are common pests in tomato crops. Most damage occurs in fields previously planted with tomatoes, so it is best to rotate with a nonhost crop. Flea beetles typically appear at field borders in fields not previously planted with tomatoes, so careful scouting of field edges is important. Treatments should be considered when small holes are detected on leaves, transplants or seedlings.

Stink bugs cause surface discoloration and decay.  Early treatment will be most effective in protecting tomato crops from stink bugs, as newly hatched nymphs are the most easily controlled.

Larvae from lepidopteran pests feed on the fruit and can cause significant damage to tomato crops.

To help prevent these insects from infesting fields, Syngenta offers Besiege® insecticide, which provides fast knockdown and controls a wide range of tomato insect pests.

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