sf: we need more images of most of the beetles listet.
Storage of tubers - "irish potatoes"
TABLE MODIFIED FROM? (SOURCE??). THIS TABLE ONLY GIVES EXTRACTS OF THE RESEARCH, AS THE OTHER PLANTS ARE NOT LISTED IN THE FLORAS OF EAST AFRICA. DOES THIS MEAN THAT ONLY PLANTS/MATERIALS RELEVANT FOR EAST AFRICA WERE INCLUDED IN THE TABLE?
it is better to move all this information to the section on potato tuber moth on the potato datasheet, since it is specific for this pest. --------
Potatoes stored for several months in order to germinate be used as seed need good protection against storage pests. One of the most destructive potato storage pests is potato tuber moth. Studies were conducted in Peru as early as 1979 on the use of insect repellants against tuber moth:
| Treatment | Germination storage time | losses(%) (days) | Rotten tubers (%) |
| Stored in layers of Lantana leaves | 11 | 24 | 11 |
| Stored in rice straw | 32 | 46 | 14 |
| Stored in wood ash | 33 | 54 | 19 |
| Stored with lime | 34 | 60 | 11 |
| Control | 54 | 74 | 32 |
This table only gives extracts of the research as the other plants mentioned is not listed in the floras of East Africa. Also eucalyptus leaves have been found to repel tuber moth in potato stores.
Above table shows that the control batch which did not receive any treatment lost more than half the tubers to tuber moths, whereas the tubers stored in layers of lantana leaves only lost 11% after 60 days (2months). Rice straw, wood ash and lime also had some effect but lantana leaves were the best insect repellants.
Notes for Review
mh, 16.9.09 We have to rethink about structure and user-friendlyness of this datasheet, I have worked on it a bit but I am sure it could be improved. We do also need to insert photos of all storage pests described. We should not lead to other datasheets i.e. to crops for further information, but include all relevant information on the site. I think 'what to do' should be included to each storage pest, as I think this is what people are looking for! General introduction: include quantitative information on storage losses.