function shs_animate_next(){ jQuery('#shs_next').click(function(){ Role of the inflammatory markers and distinguishing them. Hence, it is not only inconvenient but not practical for farmers to spray insecticides at night. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form. Reddy has received a $75,000 Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to help growers in the region using an integrated control strategy that will control the weevils and eliminate the use of toxic pesticides. Pathogens are microorganisms like a fungus or bacteria that may kill weevils. Biological control includes predators, parasites and pathogens. The weevils that visit the traps will be infected with the fungus and in turn infect the weevils in the fields. Advertisement. Mulch could provide a more favourable environment for natural enemies of the weevil, and. Due to the long duration of the crop, pre-plant applications are commonly followed by one or more insecticide applications to the plant or soil at mid-season. Sweet potato weevil is difficult to control effectively, even with the use of insecticides. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The sweetpotato weevil is a year round pest under warm conditions and even small populations can cause severe damage to the tubers. Sweet potato is an important food crop that is grown widely in tropical and subtropical regions. In some cases, nematodes are more effective than insecticides at reducing damage. We have two printing plants and the paper is simultaneously printed in the capital city of Port Moresby and the industrial city of Lae. Some farmers have been applying toxic pesticides in an effort to control the weevils but they have not been successful. Using sex pheromone traps (attractive chemicals release by females) attract adult male weevils in large numbers that can be collected and killed, thus help to reduce the male population. or, by University of Guam. This document is subject to copyright. if(rcount < 3){ var left_indent = parseInt(jQuery('#shs_slider_ul').css('left')) + item_width; Gene McAvoy is the Associate Director of Stakeholder Relations for the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee, FL. Science X Daily and the Weekly Email Newsletter are free features that allow you to receive your favorite sci-tech news updates in your email inbox. }); However, farmers can prevent or minimise the damage by doing the following: 1. Sweet potato weevil is the most disastrous pest affecting sweet potato plantations, causing millions of dollars losses annually. This helps to break the life cycle and reduce weevil population. Sweetpotato weevil control. For effective control, planting material and the soil can be treated with Beauvaria bassiana mixture to reduce weevil population. © 2009 - 2016. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy }); Sweet potato weevil is difficult to control effectively, even with the use of insecticides. Sanitation is important for sweet potato weevil management. Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. This NRCS grant will fund Reddy's research into developing efficient pheromone traps for catching weevils that will contain Petri dishes with fungal spores (Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae). var total_width=jQuery('#shs_slider_ul .shs_items').length; jQuery('#shs_slider_ul:not(:animated)').animate({'left' : left_indent},1000, The larva is legless, white in color, and displays three instars. }else{ Chemical control is not recommended as it is an expensive option and for concerns. The mature larva creates a small pupal chamber in the tuber or stem. This pathogen lives in the soil and it can easily be cultivated on coffee residue and rice straw. However, farmers could prevent or minimise the damage through a number of cultural, biological and chemical control methods. For example, the fungus, beauvaria bassiana, has proven to be fairly effective in controlling weevils. In addition, the damage caused by tunneling permits entry of soilborne pathogens. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties. jQuery('#shs_slider_ul').css({'left':'-300px','width':item_width*total_width+10}); During a drought or after a frost, sweet potato tubers still in the soil are commonly attacked by the weevil, which if not controlled, can contribute significantly to food shortage. jQuery('#shs_slider_ul:not(:animated)').animate({'left' : '-300px'},1000,function(){}); Headquartered in Port Moresby, it has offices in Five (5)centres: Lae, Mount Hagen, Kokopo, Madang and Goroka. Thus the measures discussed above and other options to control weevil become useful in our drought preparedness activities and awareness. What helps to shorten the time to cure a Covid-19 patient? function shs_animate(){ VG98002 This report is published by Horticulture Australia Ltd to pass on information concerning horticultural research and development undertaken for the vegetable industry. "The IPM research conducted by Dr. Reddy and his team at the Western Pacific Tropical Research Center (WPTRC) positively impacts sustainable agriculture in the region and beyond," says Greg Wiecko, WPTRC associate director. Applications of insecticides are typically applied to the soil at planting to prevent injury to slips. After hatching, the larva burrows directly into the tuber or stem of the plant. jQuery(document).ready(function() { jQuery('#shs_slider_ul').css({'left':'-300px'}); Some cultural practices in sweet potato include the elimination of dead crops, . Among predators, ants seem to be most important. For sweetpotato growers in Micronesia, the sweetpotato weevil seems to defy efforts to control its population. It falls and pretends to be dead when disturbed. Do you support the Government with its decision to restructure Air Niugini? jQuery('#shs_slider_ul').css({'left':'0'}); Predators include other organisms that may kill and eat the weevils. University of Guam. These integrated control tactics are environmentally friendly and target a specific insect, namely the sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius. He has been developing effective trapping methods that utilize scents attractive to weevils (pheromones) and lethal fungi to control weevil populations. Protecting and allowing natural enemies to control is very important and is the most effective way to manage pests, not only for sweet potato weevil but for other pests as well. The issue as reported in 1997 drought was that weevils were found to destroying sweet potato tubers, contributing significantly to the food shortage, particularly in the highlands. Before the weevils can say, "There's a fungus among us," they are infected with a fungus that can seriously disable and eventually kill them. Eggs are deposited in cavities created by the female in roots or stems. August 2002; Acta horticulturae 583(583):155-161; DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.583.17. is a serious threat to sweet potato production in the world. var item_width = jQuery('#shs_slider_ul .shs_items').outerWidth(); The National | A Site By.