INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT TO CONTROL CYLAS FORMICARIUS OF SWEETPOTATO (IPOMOEA BATATAS (L.) LAM.) IN CUBA

ISHS Acta Horticulturae 583: I International Conference on Sweetpotato. Food and Health for the Future

**INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT TO CONTROL CYLAS FORMICARIUS OF SWEETPOTATO (IPOMOEA BATATAS (L.) LAM.) IN CUBA**

Authors:	A. Morales, M.D.C Castellón, L. Morales, N. Maza, F. Cisneros, A. Lagnaoui, J. Alcázar
Keywords:	feromones,Beauveria bassiana, Matarrhizium anisopliae,pheidole megacephala, Tetramorium gineense
Abstract: Among roots and tubers used as carbohydrate sources in the Cuban diet, sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas constitutes one of the most important food crop. Its main usage is for human food, although, a small part of the crop, (from farmers, primarily) is used for animal feed. Recorded average yields in this crop are too low (6,5 t/ha) and it is largely attributable to several reasons involving soil quality, lack of irrigation facilities and damage caused by sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius F. that may account for 40% yield losses (MINAGI, 1993). This is practically the only species considered as a true pest, due the high population it reaches and the damage level in the base of the stem and tubers. Infested sweetpotato fields in Cuba have shown the same sources identified in other places. The insect multiplies and moves to new sweetpotato fields. The main infestation sources are: Crop residues Infested mature fields Weeds and wild host plants Sweetpotato storage Abandoned sweetpotato plantations Volunteer plants in rotation fields According to official reports, the average damage in 1991 was 16% of the marketable production. At that time, intensive insecticide applications (12 to 15 per growing cycle) were primarily carried out. Before 1991, insecticides were easily available to growers, due to the existing economic situation. After 1991, these insecticides were not available to growers because of the economic crisis, and so, insect population increased significantly, as well as damage. In 1993, INIVIT and CIP established a Collaborative Research program to develop an integrated management on sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius. Since then, the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program has extended its application and, nowadays, it has become the main control method for this pest, the damage has been reduced and yields have increased.
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