Characteristics of infestation of sweet potato by sweet potato weevilCylas formicarius(Coleoptera: Apionidae)

Abstract

Studies were conducted to examine the characteristics of infestation of vines of sweet potato plants by the sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (F.). The use of terminal tender vine cuttings, taken even from heavily weevil‐infested sweet potato, to grow a new crop and planting such a crop in plots surrounded by barriers to reduce weevil migration from the outside to the newly planted area, produced a practically weevil‐free crop. On the contrary, crop planted to old vine cuttings in an open field was severely damaged by the weevil. Consequently, crop planted using tender vine cuttings produced significantly more root yield than the one planted to old vine cuttings, irrespective of whether the planting was done in an open field or in an insect‐protected field. Sweet potato weevil infestation of 1‐ to 8‐week‐old plants increased significantly with plant age. The insect preferred sweet potato roots over sweet potato vines when both plant parts were available for infestation. Dipping the vine cuttings for 30 min in carbofuran solution prior to planting protected the newly planted sweet potato crop for up to 6 weeks after planting.