Genetic diversity in the tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) in Tunisia

The South American tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is one of the most serious invasive and destructive insect pests, causing extensive damage to tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) crops. The aim of the present study was to gain insight into the variability of T. absoluta populations along a latitudinal gradient in Tunisia. We amplified and analyzed the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and the nuclear Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) marker in 96 T. absoluta specimens collected from ten localities. The results revealed a high genetic uniformity in T. absoluta populations in Tunisia, characterized by low haplotype and nucleotide diversity. This suggests that the Tunisian population may have undergone rapid demographic expansion following its recent colonization and provides useful information for the implementation of relevant control strategies against this pest.