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Busan Agricultural Technology Center Mobilizes Full Efforts to Control Quarantine Pest, Tomato Leafminer

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Busan Metropolitan City Agricultural Technology Center (hereinafter “the Center”) announced that it will proactively undertake pest control measures against the Tomato Leafminer to establish a stable production base for the local tomato industry and prevent damage to farms.

The Tomato Leafminer larvae feed on tomato leaves and fruit, significantly reducing both marketability and yield, thereby causing severe damage to farmers.

Due to recent hot and humid weather, the population of this quarantine pest (regulated level) has surged compared to the previous year, necessitating enhanced monitoring and technical guidance on pest control.

The Tomato Leafminer, first identified in Korea in 2023, is a regulated quarantine pest. The larvae hatch from eggs and invade the leaves, stems, and internal parts of fruits of Solanaceae crops such as tomatoes, eggplants, and potatoes, severely impairing growth and quality.

When the pest infects tomato fruit, it reduces marketability, posing a significant threat to farmers’ income.
The Tomato Leafminer bores through crop leaves, consuming internal tissues and forming holes in the fruit.
Its symptoms resemble those caused by the leaf miner fly, which forms winding, thin, white tunnels on young leaf surfaces, requiring accurate identification.

This year (2025), the Center conducted a full-scale survey of 494 tomato farms (378.4 ha) in Busan from January to March.
From July 10 to 16, the Center provided technical education on monitoring and controlling the Tomato Leafminer, followed by the distribution of registered pesticides.
To enable a swift initial response, an emergency fund of 570 million KRW was allocated for monitoring and control support, and two types of registered pesticides were distributed.
Sticky traps, which are effective for monitoring flying adults and conducting frequent inspections, are scheduled to be distributed in August.
In preparation for the peak tomato transplanting season starting in September, a joint public-private monitoring and control team of 40 members—including farmers, local agricultural cooperatives, and specialists from the Agricultural Technology Center—will be organized to conduct regular monitoring.

Additionally, over ten traps using sex pheromones will be installed to closely monitor pest outbreaks in advance.

Tomato transplanting: the process of transplanting seedlings raised in a seedbed into the field.

For more detailed information on pest control, please visit the Center’s website (busan.go.kr/nongup) or contact ☎ 051-970-3725.

Yu Mi-bok, Director of the Agricultural Technology Center, stated,
"The Tomato Leafminer is a high-risk pest that can cause widespread damage if not addressed early. We will do our utmost in precise monitoring and control efforts to protect the competitiveness of Busan tomatoes, which are produced in Korea’s largest tomato cultivation area."