Pests and diseases

Plant and Diseases
  • Sweet potato weevil (Cylas formicarius): is the most important pest causing severe damage to the crop.
  • Adult weevil makes puncturing on vines and tubers. Grubs bore and feed by making tunnels.
  • Even slightly damaged tubers are unsuitable for consumption due to bitterness.
  • Yield loss is up to 100% in severe cases. On an average, 20-55% tuber loss occurs.
  • Integrated pest management practices recommended for control include dipping vine cuttings in Fenthion or Fenitrothion or Monocrotophos (0.05%) solution for 10 minutes before planting.
  • Reridging the crop two months after planting, installing synthetic sex pheromone traps @ 1 trap/100 m2 area to collect and kill the male weevils and destroying crop residues after harvest by burning are recommended control measures.
Last modified: Tuesday, 8 November 2011, 8:48 AM