DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sajb.2025.v13i11.008

Pages: 1531-1538

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the most widely consumed fruit vegetable worldwide due to its nutritional value. However, pests and diseases limit its production, leading to frequent and often excessive use of chemical pesticides that pose risks to human health and the environment. This study evaluated the efficacy of an agroecological management system against tomato pests in the context of sustainable agriculture. The trial was conducted using a completely randomised block design with four replicates and five treatments. Results showed that the combination of insect-net and neem and carapa oils-based biopesticide (F-TB) significantly reduced the incidence (9.2 to 11.21%) of viral and fungal diseases as well as infestations of Bemisia tabaci, larvae of Helicoverpa armigera, and Spodoptera spp. Consequently, 95% of the fruit harvested under F-TB was healthy, compared to 57.04% under chemical treatment (TC) and 39.99% in the untreated plots (T0). Net yield with F-TB (16.39 t/ha) was more than double that of TC (7.63 t/ha) and substantially higher than the untreated control (3.99 t/ha). Conversely, untreated plots exhibited high incidence of tomato yellow leaf curl virus and severe necrotic symptoms on leaves and stems (severity index 4.2). This study demonstrates that the agroecological management system offers a promising, environmentally sustainable alternative to chemical control for pest management and yield improvement in tomatoes.