Integrated management of sweetpotato weevil (Cylas puncticollis: Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Ethiopia: Focuses on cultural practices and resistant variety

Integrated management of Sweetpotato weevil (Cylas puncticollis: Coleoptera: Curculionidae) In Ethiopia: Focuses on cultural practices and resistant variety For oral presentation By Emana Getu (PhD), Associate Professor and Senior Researcher in Entomology, Addis Ababa University, College of Natural Sciences, Zoological Sciences Program Unit, P.O.Box 1176, e-mail egetudegaga@yahoo.com, Telephone +251911019166. Abstract Sweetpotato weevil, Cylas puncticollis is highly limiting the production of sweetpotato in Ethiopia causing over 50% yield losses. Sweetpotato is the major crop in southern and eastern part of the country where population explosion is high. Sweetpotato weevil causes damage to the leaf, stem and tubers of sweetpotato. The plant insect interaction taking place during the feeding of the insect produce toxic secondary metabolite which render the damage plant totally unmarketable particularly the tubers. Hence, infestation by sweetpotato weevil is equal to loss. Understanding the importance of the pest, attempts have been made to develop integrated management of the pest which focuses on cultural control and varietal resistance. The experiment was conducted at locations in southern Ethiopia at sweetpotato weevil hot spot areas and one location in eastern Ethiopia known for sweetpotato weevil infestation. Frequency of earthing-up, harvesting period, intercropping and varietal screening were the components tested. The result obtained indicate that twice earthing, prompt harvesting, deep rooted variety and intercropping significantly minimized the damage by sweetpotato weevil from 65% to 7% implying that implementation of integrated pest management using the above mentioned components in one can solve the problem of the pest. ?? ?? ?? ?? 1