CONTROL OF THE POTATO TUBER MOTH, PHTHORIMAEA OPERCULELLA (ZELLER) IN POTATO CROP

BEKHEIT, HASSAN K. M.; MOAWAD, GALAL M.; EL-BEDAWY, RAMZY A.; MABROUK, AMAL M.; ABDEL-HALIM, SAWSAN M.; MAHGOUB, MAHMOUD M.

doi:10.21608/ejar.1997.426085

CONTROL OF THE POTATO TUBER MOTH, PHTHORIMAEA OPERCULELLA (ZELLER) IN POTATO CROP

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Giza, Egypt

² International Potato Centre (CIP), Kafr EI-Zayat, Tanta, Egypt.

10.21608/ejar.1997.426085

Abstract

The effectiveness of Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.), Granular virus (G.V.) and mass-trapping with sex pheromone against potato tuber moth, P. operculella were studied at EI-Salheia, Ismailia Governorate, 1995 season. The results obtained indicated that B.t., G.V. and mass-trapping PTM using a sex pheromone with one application of B.t., reduced the incidence of PTM on potato plants. The reduction in PTM infestation was ranged between 82.5-95% in B.T. treatment while it was ranged between 69.5-91.8 and 74.8-91.6% in G.V. and sex pheromone treatments, respectively. The pheromone has been found highly effective in monitoring and mass trapping PTM males under field conditions. There was a positive correlation between PTM male moth catch and the percentage of infestation in potato plants. Although potato tuber moth larvae burrow in the leaves and tubers, B.t., G.V. and sex pheromone masstrapping applications reduced their population levels considerably and reduced the percentage of infestation, number of PTM larvae, and yield loss in potato tubers.

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