Pest Management in Native Andes Potatoes

Executive Summary

The potato is the main food of the Andean settlers. The Andean weevil (Premnotrypes spp.) and potato moths (Phthorimaea operculella, Symmetrischema tangolias, Tecia solanivora) are the key pests that limit production and harvest quality in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. Without control, the losses of these pests can reach more than 50% during the field phase, and up to 80% during the storage phase. Potato moths and Andean weevils are estimated to produce losses of up to US $ 500-1000 per ha per year. Farmers use very toxic insecticides, putting their health and the environment at risk. To contribute to the solution of the problem, CIP and its collaborators from Ecuador and Bolivia, within the framework of the project financed by FONTAGRO, have managed to develop a new Integrated Management strategy with new ecological tools to reduce the use of insecticides.

The technological solution

Development and implementation of a new Integrated Potato Pest Management program for the Andean region, which includes the use of plastic barriers, toxic attractants, increased functional diversity and the use of Bt talc for moth control in storage, which proved to be as efficient as chemical control, with the added benefits of protecting natural enemies and the environment.

Results

Beneficiaries

1,500 potato farmers in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.

Sustainable Development Goals

Main donors

Dissemination products