ARS | Publication request: RESISTANCE TO WIREWORM IN DIFFERENT ADVANCED POTATO SELECTIONS IN IDAHO

Submitted to: Entomology Society of America Pacific Branch Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 20, 2005
Publication Date: November 1, 2006
Repository URL: http://riley.nal.usda.gov/nal_web/digi/submission.html
Citation: Alvarez, J.M., Novy, R.G. 2006. Resistance to wireworm in different advanced potato selections in idaho. Program of the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America. Page 99. Complete Abstract can be found at: http://esa.confex.com/esa/2005/techprogram/paper_21408.htm

Technical Abstract: Wireworms (Coleoptera:Elateridae) are the most important soil-dwelling pest of potato. Wireworm can feed upon seed pieces during the spring and subsequently burrow into developing tubers in the summer resulting in crop losses of 5-25% in Idaho. Growers in the U.S. rely on a few registered organophosphate and carbamate insecticides, which are not always effective for control of wireworms; their continued use in the future is questionable in that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reviewing their use on potato and may not re-register these insecticides. Plant resistance to insect pests is an important component in many successful IPM programs. Evaluation of different potato selections in Idaho in the last three years shows promising results. Several breeding selections presented equal or lower wireworm damage than the Russet Burbank tubers treated with insecticides. These germplasm lines have proved useful for potato variety development and the highly resistant lines to wireworm were also found to be resistant in other states. Some of the resistant lines have shown acceptable levels of total tuber glycoalkaloids and yet they show levels of resistance similar to current chemical control methods for wireworm.