Pervin Erdogan and Errol Hassan
Keywords: Potato tuber moth, application time, pheromone traps, insecticides
Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the time of pesticides application to control potato tuber moth [Phthorimae operculella (Zeller) (Lep.: Gelechiidae)] in Turkish field conditions. For this purpose, the experiments were carried out in three provinces (Afyonkarahisar, Kirsehir and Bolu) of Turkey in 2013–2015. Sex pheromone traps were used to determine when adults first emerged in field and were checked at weekly intervals. During the experiments, all of the plant leaves and tubers were checked to determine any infestations. Three insecticides were used to determine against PTM. Five different pesticide schedules were tested although not in all provinces. In Bolu Province, the best schedule was achieved by a three spray technique with the first spray application being applied when adults are first identified in the field in pheromone traps, followed by a second application one month after the first application, with a third spraying 15 days before harvest. This schedule was no tested in Kirsehir and Afyonkarahisar Provinces where applications linked to pheromone trap detections and preharvest schedules were most effective
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