Evaluation of potato tuber moth mortality following postharvest cold storage of potatoes

• Published in: Crop protection 2012-08, Vol.38, p.44-48
• Main Authors: Saour, George, Al-Daoude, Antonious, Ismail, Hala
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; chronic exposure; Cold storage; disinfestation; eggs; hatching; larvae; long term effects; longevity; mortality; moths; Pest management; Phthorimaea operculella; Postharvest; Potato tuber moth; potatoes; temperature
• ISSN: 0261-2194; 1873-6904
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2012.03.014

Developmental stages of the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller), were subjected to low temperatures to determine the effect of short- and long-term exposure on egg hatch, larval mortality, and adult longevity. The hatching of eggs, for all ages, did not exceed 12 and 38% after 35 d of exposure to 3 and 7 °C, respectively. Survival of 1- and 8-d-old larvae was negatively affected by cold storage. One-d-old larvae did not survive 42 d of cold storage at 3 °C. No adult emergence occurred after 56 d of exposure to 7 °C for 8-d-old larvae. In adult longevity experiments, 5.5 and 8.3% of moths were still alive after 28 and 35 d of storage at 3 and 7 °C, respectively. The low temperatures applied during postharvest storage of potatoes could be efficiently used as a protective disinfestation technique against the potato tuber moth. ► Mortality in the potato tuber moth (PTM) was evaluated following cold storage of potatoes. ► Cold storage for 49 days at 3 °C is required to inhibit PTM developmental stages. ► Sixty three days of exposure at 7 °C is needed to obtain the same detrimental effects. ► Low temperatures used for potatoes storage could be efficient tool to reduce PTM infestations.