Assesing the Efficacy of Tobacco and Chili-Based Biopesticide Against Tuta Absoluta and Their Influence on Tomato Growth and Yield Performance

The continuous reliance on chemical insecticides for controlling tomato pests has led to concerns regarding pesticide resistance, environmental pollution, and human health risks due to chemical residues. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of tobacco and chili-based biopesticide against tuta absoluta and their influence on tomato growth and yield performance. The experiment used a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five treatments: control (T1), chili extract (T2), tobacco extract (T3), synthetic pesticide (T4), and a tobacco-chili mixture (T5), each replicated three times across three blocks. Results revealed that both tobacco and chili extracts significantly reduced pest damage compared to the control group, with lower leaf damage severity scores. However, these treatments did not outperform synthetic pesticides in terms of plant growth, with the pesticide treatment showing the highest plant height (124 cm) and fruit weight (620 g). The combination of tobacco and chili showed a potential synergistic effect, resulting in the least damage in some plots. While tobacco and chili extracts demonstrated pest control potential, further research is necessary to optimize their application and ensure their effectiveness in integrated pest management strategies, as their growth-promoting effects were not as strong as synthetic pesticides. The findings highlight the need for more sustainable pest control methods in agriculture.