The research aims at recognizing the knowledge level of tomato farmers in Telafar and Al-Hamdaneya districts at the field of protection from tuta-absoluta insect as well as the relationship of the knowledge level of those farmers with their personal, economical and communication properties. In addition, defining the knowledge level of tomato-planting farmers in each field of protection from tuta-absoluta insect. Finally, determining the relation- ship between the knowledge level of the research and the whole independent factors.
The study has been carried out in (Rabia’, Zummar and Al-Namroud) sub-districts which are considered of the greatest sub-districts in which tomato is planted. (26) villages have been randomly selected. The respondents have been randomly selected at an average (50%) from each village. So, the total number of the sample individuals is (210) farmers.
Data has been collected via personal interviewing with the farmers by a questionnaire which includes two parts: The first is the personal, economical and communicative characteristics. While the second part includes testing the knowledge level of the tomato farmers in the field tuta-absoluta insect protection. Its items are (96) ones and they have been presented to the specialists to achieve the face validity, Via the initial testing, the power of items discrimination and their difficulty coefficient. Some items have been omitted till the final number on its final form becomes (60) items. Test reliability has been calculated by Koder-Ritchardson method and the relia- bility coefficient is (0.886). After collecting data, they have been statistically processed by using SAS, EXCEL and SPSS.
As a result, (81.9%) of the respondents have possessed intermediate knowledge tending to high. The order of the fields of protecting from the insect is according to the priorities : Infection appearance, controlling, economical damage, and insect activity. The results have also illustrated that the knowledge level of tomato farmers at the field of protecting from tuta-absoluta insect has a pesitive correlating relationship with each of (age, educational level, the distance of the tomato-planted area and the sources of the agricultural information while there were no significant correlation relationship with each of (farm possession kind and the number of the crop-planted years).
A group of recommendations have been presented like : Department of agricultural extension at Nineveh agriculture directorate in a cooperation and coordination with horticulture and plants protection departments must esta- blish symposiums for the tomato farmers and visiting them at their fields. In addition, Nineveh centre of agricultural training and extension must held up training courses for the tomato farmers regarding controlling this insect. general company of agricultural equipment in Nineveh have to provide insect-resistant tomato seeds and traps with subsidized prices. In addition, making use of local TV channels like (Al-Mosulia and Sama Al-Mosul) in campaign of control this insect.