Studies on biology and management of potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) under farmers condition.

Tiwari, D. B. and R. B. Thapa. 2007. IAAS Research Advances Vol. 1. Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. pp. 77-79. 

Keywords: Potato tuber moth, Bacillus thuringiensis, NPV, stored potato

Potato tuber moth (PTM), Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller) is a serious pest of stored potato in Nepal. Its biology and management was carried out under farmer’s condition in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, respectively, in 2005. The adult moth started mating 3 hours after emergence and eggs laying from next day of mating, which continued for 4 days. On an average, a female laid 83.33 eggs in its lifetime laying up to 34.7 eggs per day. Incubation period was 6.4 days with about 80% hatchability. Life cycle completed in about three weeks, and larval period was four days longer in plant foliage. The management study conducted in CRD with six treatments and four replications clearly revealed that that pest infestation was low in azardictin, Bt and NPV treated tubers. NPV and Bt treated samples were free from infestation up to ten weeks. Azadiractin was effective in pest management up to six week under farmer's condition. Therefore, NPV, Ultineem and Bt are eco-friendly and effective as alternative to chemical pesticides for the management of P. operculella on stored potatoes.