How to deal with potato aphids. Who harms potatoes: about pests and methods of dealing with them

Currently, chemical and biological preparations of a wide spectrum of action are offered, simultaneously destroying many species of insects at different stages of their development. When using chemicals, remember that often pests quickly adapt to active ingredient drug and do not die under its influence.

by the most dangerous pests for potatoes, are the Colorado beetles. These are bugs that eat potato leaves, and without leaves, the potato itself does not grow. The fastest and effective method is chemistry, especially Prestige. But it is so poisonous that you can poison yourself. So, in order to have less chemistry in our lives, we process potatoes with tinctures of wormwood, and various infusions of herbs that have a strong smell.

Widespread in Europe, Central Asia and North America pest capable of feeding on more than 200 plant species.

Damage

The insect harms vegetables (tomato, pepper, cucumber, potato), ornamental (rose) and industrial crops in closed and open field. It is a carrier of more than 50 types of plant viral diseases. The pest prefers the underside of the leaf and young shoots. On a cucumber in a greenhouse, it populates the middle and lower tiers of the plant. The activity of the pest leads to the appearance of chlorotic spots (tomato) or mesh (cucumber) on the leaves of the host plant. Pest toxins cause curling of leaves and shoots, which dry out over time. Excess sugar secreted by aphids during accumulation can cause the development of soot fungus on the culture. The soot fungus, covering the plant, interferes with the processes of respiration and photosynthesis, which depresses the affected culture.

How to recognize

The wingless female has an oval body, pointed at the posterior end, about 2.7 mm long. The color of the wingless Great Potato Aphids is mostly green, in some cases pink. On the back of the abdomen, the aphid has a longitudinal dark green stripe. The winged female has big sizes- about 3.4 mm. It is also green in color, but without a stripe on the abdomen. The head and thorax are dark.

The life cycle of a pest

Like most greenhouse pests Aphid superfamilies, belong to non-full-cyclic species and reproduces in a parthenogenetic way. In the open field, the pest cycle includes the alternation of winged and wingless generations and migration from one crop to another with the participation of wild and ornamental varieties roses as a second host. The insect begins to harm at temperatures above 12-13 ° C, and optimal conditions for him are: temperature from 21 to 26 ° C, with an air humidity of 60-80%. The development of the pest population slows down at high temperatures (above 30°C).

Biological control measures

Aphidiids of the genus Proon are natural enemies of the large potato aphid. These entomophages enter the greenhouse from the street. Common lacewing can also be used for pest control, but its effectiveness is not very high.

Pests threaten all cultivated nightshades, not only in the garden, but also in the cellar. The potato moth spoils the tubers, and everyone who does not want to lose the crop, stay for the winter without potatoes and without planting material for the spring should take measures to combat it during storage.

What does a potato moth and its larvae look like?

The adult potato moth looks like a small gray butterfly. It is unremarkable, it is not always possible to notice it if you do not look closely. She will calmly breed, and the owner of the site will know that the potato plantings were affected only after he sees the larvae in the tubers. Then, of all the methods of struggle, only the processing of the storage and the tubers themselves will remain.

The potato moth comes from Central America. Its original name is Phthorimaea operculella Zell. It normally tolerates the climate of the southern regions of Russia and can winter both in the soil and on its surface under a layer of foliage and tops.

On the Black Sea coast Krasnodar Territory larvae do not freeze out in the soil, demonstrating almost one hundred percent survival.

The possible distribution area of ​​the pest in our country is limited to the Rostov region, to the north of which there were no foci of infection.

At the same time, the presence of potato moth in storage facilities is not excluded in areas located much to the north. To limit the spread of the pest, quarantine measures are being taken, but it is not worth hoping that the infected potato does not get into the central regions. It will be more reliable to independently check the imported planting material for the presence of a pest and, if it is found, be puzzled by how to get rid of the potato moth and take all necessary measures in a timely manner.

Potato moth breeds not only in the ground, but also in storage areas:

• In stock;
• In the cellar;
• In the basement.

The object of attention of this pest are:

• planting potatoes;
• Pepper;
• tomatoes;
• Eggplant.

To avoid infection, they should not be planted side by side. Especially high is the probability of infection of vegetables with mixed and thickened plantings.

The potato moth butterfly is very similar to the common moth. Its wingspan is about one and a half centimeters. Males are smaller than females. On the front wings of the butterfly there are marks in the form of black dots. The hind wings have a fringed edge, they are plain, without a pattern.

In the process of development, potato moth goes through several stages:

1. Butterflies lay eggs.
2. They turn into larvae.
3. Then - in pupae.

AT summer period the duration of the entire cycle is up to 30 days. Over the summer, up to four generations of potato moths can be born from one female. In winter, due to a decrease in temperature, the process is delayed for a longer period, on average, it takes from two to four months.

You can see butterflies flying over potato bushes early in the morning. In the evening, the potato moth becomes active after sunset, when it is not possible to notice it.

During the day, this pest is inactive, but it can be identified. To do this, shake the potato bush. A disturbed butterfly will fly to another plant, where it will hide again. Since its size is small, and the color allows you to go unnoticed against the background of leaves and earth, it is impossible to consider a moth that has just landed on a plant or under a bush.

A butterfly can change color depending on the environment.

Potato moth lays eggs on the underside of the leaf or on the tuber itself. To do this, she weaves something like a nest of cobwebs. As they develop, the eggs, initially white, darken. It takes up to 15 days for the larvae to emerge from the egg. The color of the larva depends on what it eats. In addition to potatoes, caterpillars are happy to eat any vegetables, they do not disdain strawberries, causing significant harm to the entire garden.

How to identify an infection

The potato moth is not the Colorado potato beetle, whose eggs and larvae are visible upon a cursory inspection of the plants. It is initially possible to determine the presence of a pest only by indirect signs:

1. If you notice drooping leaves on potato bushes, this is an occasion to examine the plant in the most thorough way.
2. Look at the bottom of the sheet. If there is a web and the remains of the vital activity of caterpillars, then you need to immediately start processing.
3. Dried leaves are the second sign. Through the eyes, the pest enters the tuber, but excrement remains on its surface, which can be used to determine whether the potato is infected or not.
4. If, for no particular reason, bushes growing nearby suddenly began to dry out for no reason, you need to check if there are pests in the tubers.

After the larvae destroy the leaves, they begin to descend along the stems to the tubers and already there they do their dirty work. It is best to fight with caterpillars in the first stage. It is easier to destroy at the very beginning of the development of such a pest as a potato moth. The control measures taken during storage will help to save only part of the crop, and at this stage - the whole.

The penetration of larvae to root crops is most likely when the potato stalks dry out. Some pests pass on plants with still green and juicy foliage, the other part penetrates through the soil layer and along hollow stems to root crops. Presence on the surface of potatoes dark spots- this is another sign that the root crop is sick. It is impossible to lay such tubers for storage. Even one larva can make a tuber unfit for food, but most often there are several of them.

Ways to deal with potato moth in storage

A root crop infected with potato moth larvae is no less dangerous during storage than on the field. The larvae continue to develop, although not as fast. As a result, the tubers begin to rot, and there is a risk of losing the entire crop. To prevent this from happening, the room in which the potatoes will be stored must be prepared:

1. Smoke bombs can be used to control pests.
2. The walls of the cellar or basement are whitewashed with quicklime.
3. The container for potatoes must be cleaned, dried well and also whitewashed with lime.

The preparation of potatoes depends on the temperature in the cellar:

1. If it does not rise above 4°C, there is nothing to worry about. At this temperature, the development of the pest stops.
2. If a we are talking about planting material, then it will need to be processed in the spring, since the pupae, unlike the larvae, normally overwinter even at low temperatures. Then the whole cycle will start over.

Processing of infected potatoes before laying in storage and before planting in the ground is carried out with a biological product called lepidocid.

Folk remedies and biological preparations

Chemical means for combating potato moths are ineffective. Therefore, the main emphasis is on prevention and biological measures. The use of entomophages - natural enemies also gives positive results. For example, in Krasnodar Territory the main entomophage for potato moths are carnivorous ground beetles.

Using insecticides to control potato moths is not safe, as poisons can accumulate in the tubers. The main emphasis for the protection of potato plantings is on biological preparations. These include:

• Entobacterin;
• Gomelin;
• Bitoxibacillin;
• Lepidocide.

All of them are harmless to humans and animals, so they are used on potatoes without fear.

Folk remedies for combating potato moths have a lesser effect, but on small areas and with a small infection, you can try everything that is used against the Colorado potato beetle:

• Decoction of wormwood;
• A solution of dark laundry or green soap and ash.

A soap-ash solution is prepared as follows:

1. In a small volume warm water you need to dissolve 50 g of soap.
2. Add liter jar wood ash.
3. Bring the amount of water to a total volume of 10 liters.
4. Let the mixture brew for several hours.
5. For spraying, the solution must be filtered.

Processing is carried out ten days, that is, every 10 days. At the same time, it will also be foliar top dressing.

Preventive measures

It is possible to prevent mass infection of potatoes. To avoid the question of how to get rid of potato moth larvae, you need to do the following:

• Regularly weed the aisles, it is especially important to ensure that there are no nightshade among the weeds;
• Spud bushes as high as possible;
• Mow the tops before it begins to dry;
• Remove tops from the field.

If it is not possible to store potatoes at optimum temperature, which is 3 - 4 ° C, before laying in the basement or cellar, the tubers must be soaked for 5 minutes in a solution of lepidocide or any other biological product.

Lepidocid is diluted in the ratio of 100 g of the drug per bucket of water.

Then the potatoes must be thoroughly dried, after which it can be transferred to a storage location. In farms, such processing is carried out directly in bags. It is best to do this immediately after digging potatoes.

Everyone separate view The pest spoils various components of potato tubers, leads a different lifestyle. For effective fight with uninvited guest it is necessary to identify the type of pest, use necessary funds.

Find out how to cook the most effective one at home, as well as which one is better to choose in the store.

It has a yellow-brown color, the body length does not exceed one centimeter. Longitudinal stripes are visible on chitin, appearance pest familiar to all gardeners. Adults, larvae completely destroy the leaves, fruits of potatoes. When a beetle appears in the garden, the yield is reduced by 60%.

There are several ways to deal with a beetle:

• the use of systemic chemicals (Sonnet, Commander,). Apply funds at least three times to obtain the desired result. Carry out the last treatment no later than twenty days before harvest;
• spraying potato tubers with preparations of bacterial / fungal origin (allowed to use, Boverin). Remedies against harmful larvae that do not have a protective chitinous layer are very effective. Peak positive impact funds fall on the 7th day after spraying. Reapply as needed.

Additionally, you can spray potato bushes with strong infusions of tansy, peppermint, blackcurrant.

Advice! Increase the chances of a successful fight will help mechanical removal adults and larvae of the Colorado potato beetle.

Wireworm and false wireworm

The female nematode has a round body shape, the male resembles a worm. Females are initially white, then darken to brown shade. After fertilization, one female can lay several thousand eggs. After some time, they die off, turn into cysts, then remain in the soil. In the spring, they begin to actively eat potatoes. The life span of cysts is up to ten years, so it is quite difficult to overcome nematodes.

It is very difficult to cope with nematodes, they will help to get the desired result useful advice experienced gardeners:

• before planting potatoes, treat the soil with urea; after harvesting, it is recommended to use lime;
• chicken manure, which is abundantly irrigated with soil, can destroy almost 90% of harmful larvae;
• alternate cultures on land plot by growing potatoes every three years;
• in a specially designated place, treat the dug bushes with bleach;
• severe damage by nematodes requires the use of a drug called Bazudin, which does an excellent job even with wireworms.

garden moth

The pest is a small butterfly that lays larvae. The moth harms not only potatoes, but also tomatoes, eggplants, peppers. Adults do not cause significant damage to the crop, the main damage is caused by larvae. Immediately after birth, they actively feed on tubers, stems, and are able to gnaw through the peel.

They eat away many passages in the foliage, pollute them with their waste products. After such wrecking, the plant stem weakens, the potato slowly dies. The lack of therapeutic measures will lead to crop loss over a fairly large area.

• for planting, choose high-quality material, the seeds can be heated up to 40 degrees to prevent infection of the future crop;
• at each stage of planting, check the quality of potatoes, their storage conditions;
• before winter period carry out deep processing of the soil;
• Treat the soil with a strong methyl bromide solution before planting seeds in the soil.

scoop

They are small moths, body color ranges from brown to gray. Insects are unpretentious, quickly adapt to environmental conditions, resistant to poisons. The fight against the armyworm should be complex and include many aspects. For potatoes, the most dangerous larvae are: they penetrate the root crops, actively feed on them, leading to the death of the plant.

This insect must be fought in the complex:

• regularly destroy weeds that contribute to an increase in the population of potato scoop;
• use pheromone traps aimed at killing adults to prevent laying eggs for the winter;
• use insecticides, spraying them will help destroy existing caterpillars. To do this, you need to purchase Decis, Tsimbush.

leafhoppers

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potato flea

Many varieties are distributed throughout the world. Adult beetles, reaching three millimeters, actively feed on potato tops. Thin larvae have three pairs of legs, develop in the root system of potatoes. At favorable conditions cause damage to a large number of potato crops.

Tuber infection is promoted by hot weather or late planting. You can spot a pest in potatoes by specific marks on the leaves.

You can deal with a flea using the same methods as with a cicada, also use glue bait traps. For small gardens you can use a mixture of chamomile decoction, ash, tobacco dust in the same proportions.

It is quite realistic to prevent infection by various pests of potato plantations, following useful recommendations:

• stick to the rules of crop rotation (do not plant the same crop in the same place every year, take a break for at least three years);
• buy a seed product only in trusted stores, warm it up at a temperature of 40 degrees before sowing;
• regularly inspect potato plantations, if pests are found, immediately deal with their extermination.

From the following video, you can learn more about potato pests and how to deal with them: