Development of an on‐site diagnostic LAMP assay for rapid differentiation of the invasive pest Phthorimaea absoluta (Meyrick) using insect tissues

BACKGROUND The tomato leafminer, Phthorimaea absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is a destructive invasive pest that originated in South America and has spread within China since 2017. A rapid method for on‐site identification of P. absoluta is urgently needed for interception of this pest across China. RESULTS We developed a loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique to differentiate P. absoluta from Liriomyza sativae, Chromatomyia horticola, and Phthorimaea operculella using extracted genomic DNA, which was then refined to create an on‐site LAMP diagnostic method that can be performed under field conditions without the need for laboratory equipment. CONCLUSION In the present research, we developed an on‐site diagnostic method for rapid differentiation of P. absoluta from other insects with similar morphology or damage characteristics in China. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. Here, we describe the development of a simple, rapid field assay for Phthorimaea absoluta identification based on loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP).