Abstract
Potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella), one of the leading potato-damaging pests in the world, has caused severe damage to potato production in South Korea after its introduction in the 1960s. This study surveyed the field occurrence of potato tuber moth in various sites in South Korea and used the results to validate the CLIMEX model, which spatiotemporally evaluated the potential distribution of potato tuber moths in response to climate change. The potato tuber moths were predicted to appear throughout the country, consistent with the results obtained for potato tuber moths in 96% of the field survey area. In addition, the climatic suitability of potato tuber moths will remain high due to climate change, suggesting a high risk for damage to seasonal potato production from seeding to harvesting. This spatiotemporal assessment of potato tuber moth distribution is expected to aid in establishing control strategies optimized based on time and place.
Highlights
The potato is one of the world’s leading food sources
A large number of potato tuber moths were observed in open areas neighboring other cultivation fields, suggesting their migration from nearby farmlands and storage facilities, as it had been reported that migration was a major factor that resulted in different populations [32]
In Miryang and Seogwipo, where the largest number of potato tuber moths was collected, growth index (GI) appeared in February, but it was difficult to expect that adults would be observed as soon as growth began due to low GI values
Summary
The potato is one of the world’s leading food sources. It is cultivated on 18 million hectares of land in 130 countries, with a total crop production of 200–300 million metric tons per year [1].Climate change affects changes in potato cultivation conditions, and lead to the spread of pests, thereby causing serious losses in potato production [2]. The potato is one of the world’s leading food sources It is cultivated on 18 million hectares of land in 130 countries, with a total crop production of 200–300 million metric tons per year [1]. Damage caused by potato tuber moths in the early stages of potato cultivation can result in a 25% loss of the final yield [5,6]. This species can adapt to various climatic conditions in varying agro-ecosystems and does not need periods of diapause to overcome unsuitable climatic conditions [7]
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