Integrated management of sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Brentidae)

Abstract

Sweet potato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Fabricius) is the most important and serious pest of sweet potato. Being an internal feeder and soil dweller, it’s very difficult to manage by a single management practice. Hence, an integrated approach is ideal. Studies were conducted to evaluate management modules involving soil solarization, vine treatment with imidacloprid at the time of planting, earthing up at 30 days after planting, spraying of indoxacarb @1.5 ml/l of water at 30, and 60 days after planting, alone or in combination were evaluated against sweet potato weevil. Results revealed that, soil solarization and vine treatment were equally effective for suppression of weevil population during early growth period. Among different modules formulated, vine treatment with imidacloprid 17.8 SL @ 1ml/l of water followed by earthing up and spraying of indoxacarb @ 1.5 ml/l of water at 30 and 60 days after planting and timely harvest of tuber was found most effective in managing weevil population.