ARS | Publication request: Evaluaiton of heirloom sweetpotato cultivars for resistance to soil insect pests, 2010

Submitted to: Arthropod Management Tests
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: November 2, 2012
Publication Date: December 5, 2012
Citation: Jackson, D.M., Harrison Jr, H.F., Ling, K. 2012. Evaluaiton of heirloom sweetpotato cultivars for resistance to soil insect pests, 2010. Arthropod Management Tests. Volume 37, Report No. M5, available at http://www.entsoc.org/pubs/index.html.

Technical Abstract: Two insect susceptible cultivars (‘Beauregard’ and 'SC 1149-19'), two insect-resistant cultivars ('Charleston Scarlet' and ‘Ruddy’), and 58 heirloom sweetpotato varieties were evaluated for insect resistance in replicated field trials at Charleston, SC. Thirty varieties had significantly less overall injury from insects (ie., higher percentage of undamaged roots) and 40 varieties had a significantly lower WDS index than did the two susceptible checks (‘Beauregard’ and ‘SC1149-19’). Overall, the highest level of resistance was for the resistant check cultivar ‘Ruddy’, which had 91.6% undamaged roots. All but three genotypes had significantly less injury by flea beetles and 40 varieties had significantly less white grub injury than did ‘SC1149-19’, although population levels of these pest species were relatively light during this experiment. Fifty genotypes had significantly less injury by sweetpotato weevils than did ‘SC1149-19’, but only nine varieties had significantly less weevil injury than did ‘Beauregard’.