Potato Pests (part 1)

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Potato pests - sooner or later all summer residents will have to face such a problem. In this article, we'll talk about the most common pests and how to deal with them

Of the pests, the most dangerous are stem nematodes, bears, wireworms and false wireworms, as well as the caterpillar of the winter moth and larvae of lamellar beetles. Colorado beetles, potato cyst nematodes and the so-called potato moth are also dangerous. Sucking pests are also distinguished: various types of aphids that can carry a wide variety of viral diseases.

The potato stem nematode is a small white filamentous worm, its length does not exceed one and a half millimeters. This pest is located on the border between healthy and already infected tissue in tubers. Initially, this pest manifests itself only in a latent form: extremely small whitish soft loose spots appear under the peel. Actually, it is here that nematodes will breed. Over time, the peel in such infected places will begin to dry out, wrinkle and lag behind the pulp itself. Then, dark brown spots will become visible on the tubers, which have a pronounced metallic color. Over time, these spots will grow, the peel will begin to lag behind the pulp, and if the damage is very severe, the peel will begin to crack. The highest number of spots will be observed near the umbilical cord. Of course, the nematode will damage the surface tissue by developing along the edges of the tubers. This is precisely the main difference between this pest and late blight disease. The middle of the tuber itself will still be healthy. But when it comes to the final stage, then here already various harmful microorganisms will join the stem nematodes, the destructive effect of which occurs in depth. Ultimately, such a tuber will rot. The source for the spread of such a pest will be tubers, while infection from the soil is also possible, if potatoes with such a disease previously grew here.

To combat such a pest, potatoes cannot be grown in the same place, this is permissible only after at least three years. Planting only healthy tubers will be the most effective way to fight. It is for this reason that the tubers must be carefully examined before planting, the diseased should be removed immediately, and it is also recommended to destroy the remains of potatoes from the last season. During such harvesting, only tubers from healthy bushes should be selected for seeds. Seed potatoes should be stored at a temperature of no higher than three degrees.

Colorado potato beetle - this pest causes great harm not only to potatoes, but also to tomatoes and eggplants. This beetle is yellow-brown in color, its length may be slightly more than a centimeter, it is ovoid in shape, and its shapes are convex on top. Such a beetle will have black longitudinal stripes on the elytra, and a triangular black spot will be located on the front of the head of this beetle. Colorado potato beetle larvae can be either orange or red in color. On the sides of the body there are two rows of black spots, the head is black, and there are three pairs of legs, and they are also black. These beetles get out to the surface in April, when the soil warms up a little. Females are capable of laying even up to 800 eggs on the lower surface of the leaves. After eight days, the first larvae will appear. These beetles, having destroyed one bush, move to another. From the leaves, these beetles and larvae leave only thick veins. In the fall, beetles climb into the soil.

To eradicate this pest, constant careful inspection of the potatoes will be required. You can destroy the pest in a solution of table salt or in kerosene. Leaves must also be destroyed that have already been infected. It is also recommended to spray the potatoes with a urea solution, which not only destroys a significant part of the pests themselves, but also benefits the plants. After all, this will be a good feeding for them in the form of nitrogen. If the potatoes are very heavily infected, then regular spraying measures will be required. In this case, the interval between these procedures should be about a week.