New technique in the control of sweet potato weevil using synthetic sex pheromone in India

Abstract

Abstract An IPM schedule using synthetic sex pheromone (Z‐3‐dodecenol‐E‐2‐butenoate) as the principal component against sweet potato weevil has been evaluated for the first time in India. The components of the IPM Programme were: (a) disinfecting the planting materials by dipping the slips in monocrotophos 0.05% for 10 min; (b) installation of pheromone traps from the first day of planting at 10 m distance (one trap/100 m2) to destroy the male weevils; and (c) re‐ridging the crop at 30 and 60 days after planting. The continuous elimination of the male population by pheromone traps in the treatment has resulted in a drastic decline in the population build‐up of the weevil and consequent reduction in the damage, leading to increased production of marketable tubers over 53%. In the first season weevil damage was reduced from 33% to 9.7% and in the second season from 39% to 9.5% by adopting the IPM schedule. The control field showed a four‐ to seven‐fold increase in the pest population (516 to 741 in the control and 114 to 128 in the treatment).