Evaluation of the population density of the Potato tuber moth , Phthorimea operculella (Zeller) ( Lepidoptera : Gelechiidae ) with pheromone traps

Abstract

Field studies was conducted at the college of Agriculture ,Abu- Ghraib, Baghdad to evaluate the efficacy of the pheromone traps to estimate population density and the numbers of generations of the potato tuber moth , Phthorimea operculella (Zeller) during the autumn and spring seasons . Results showed the presence of two generation of the insect during the autumn season reaching it peaks of 13 and 42 adult/trap during months of November and December respectively. There have been 3 peaks (generations ) of the insect on the spring season, hitting peaks of 44, 59 , and 73 moth /trap during months of April , May and June respectively , and that the population density reached twice what is it in autumn , The use of pheromone traps through the spring season had significantly reduced infestation rates by the tuber moth to 29% and 44%for the two cultivars Fibula and Dezeri respectively .These results encourages the introduction of pheromone traps as a part of integrated pest management (IPM) program for the pest after conducting detailed studies in the future .