Poster #12151 was presented at ECE2026 during Poster Session 2 (Wine & Cheese Party), on 1 July 2026 in the Exhibition area:
“Agroecological Strategies for Sustainable Management of Phthorimaea absoluta in Processing Tomato: Results from a Two-Year Field Study in Southern Italy” 🎙️ Emilio Guerrieri (CNR – Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante) and co-authors
The poster presented results from a two-year field study (2024–2025), carried out within the PRIMA project ASTER, on a commercial open-field processing tomato farm in Campania. The trial combined Tagetes erecta inter-cropping, perimeter flowering strips with Calendula officinalis and Verbena hybrida, and beneficial Trichoderma root symbionts — with no insecticides used.
Compared to a conventional, chemically-managed plot, the agroecological plot showed lower infestation by Phthorimaea absoluta and a greater abundance and diversity of natural enemies, with consistent results across both years. The findings reinforce agroecological management as a viable, sustainable strategy for processing tomato production, even in intensively farmed areas.