Variations in the Susceptibility of some Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Cultivars to Infestation with Certain Piercing Sucking Insect Pests

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an economically important vegetable crop all over the world. The piercing sucking insect pests are serious pests threatening potato plantations in many countries. The present investigation contributes to the knowledge in the susceptibility of certain potato cultivars to infestation with these insects in Beheira Governorate, Egypt. Five global potato cultivars currently used in Egypt’s potato production were evaluated through two successive seasons (summer plantations) in field experiments for their susceptibility to sucking insect infestation. The experiment was designed in a completely randomized blockdesignand all data were analyzed using the SAS® program. None of the tested potato cultivars was immune or highly resistant to the tested insect pests. The cultivars Banba and Diamante were found quite resistance to piercing sucking insect pests. The cultivar Herms was found as moderately susceptible while Spunta and Cara were found to be the most susceptible cultivars. The green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea; seven-spotted lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata; eleven spotted lady beetle, Coccinella undecimpunctata and the pirate bug, Orius sp are the most important predators which associated with the sucking insects pests on the potato cultivars.