Studies on impact of storage materials and methods on potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on potato

Abstract

Potato tuber moth (PTM), Phthorimaea operculella Zeller originated in Latin America and co-evolved with its host plant potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). It has become one of the most serious insect pests around the world, including in India. Laboratory studies were conducted against PTM for the pest build-up; % tuber dried and rot and extent of tuber tunneling. The mean% infestation of PTM using different storage materials after 90 days of storage was witnessed highest (56.92%) in wooden bins and it was least in cartoon box stored tubers (48.59%), while among different storage methods, it was recorded highest with 61.88% in plastic bin stored tubers and was lowest in low temperature stored tubers (5.45%).% tubers dried after 90 days of storage period was maximum in tubers inserted with agave leaf bits (40%) and it was minimum in nylon mesh bags (5%) among different storage materials. The same was resulted with no tubers dried in both low temperature and pit stored tubers among different storage methods and it was highest in heap method with paddy straw cover (10%). A maximum of 85.00% tuber rot was recorded in tubers inserted with agave leaf bits and a minimum of 10.00% in tubers stored in wooden bins among the storage materials. Among different storage methods, percent tuber rot ranged from 10.00 to 75.00% in tubers storage in low temperature and heap method, respectively. Extent of tuber tunneling among storage materials ranged from 22.22% (40 mesh nylon bags stored tubers) to cent percent (tubers stored in wooden bins and bamboo bins). The same was witnessed with a minimum of 0.33% in low temperature storage method in polythene bags and a maximum of 73.33% in plastic bin stored tubers. Therefore, the development of control technologies and intensive monitoring is necessary in future days to come, for stable potato production as well as potato post-harvest.