The Guatemalan moth (GM) and the Andean Weevil (AW) are the most important insect pests for potato production in Colombia. Control used by farmers is based on chemical pesticides with excessive rates and timing. To promote IPM, this project intended to explore more alternatives towards the use of Biological control for the two pests. In the major production areas crops and seed stores were sampled, looking for natural enemies. For the GM, studies focused on eggs parasitoids (Trichogramma lopezandinensis, Trichogramma sp.) and eggs predators (Buchananiella contigua, Lyctocoris campestris [Hemiptera (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae). All of these are first reported as GM consumers. The potential of consumption for these natural enemies was determined. Other natural enemies mainly arthropods were reported. For the AW, studies concentrated on the use of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae for adult’s control. The fungus was produced under semi-farm conditions and evaluated in a formulation to be applied to the soil, obtaining a control level similar to that obtained with the chemical insecticide. A proposal of how integrate this tools of biological control in an IPM Program is shown.
Species 1: Lepidoptera Gelechiidae Tecia solanivora (Guatemalan Moth, Polilla Guatemalteca)
Species 2: Coleoptera Curculionidae Premnotrypes vorax (Andean weevil or gorgojo de los andes, Gusano blanco)
Species 3: Hymenoptera Trichogrammatidae Trichogramma lopezandinensis
Keywords: natural enemies, Evaluation
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