Spud Pests
Like most crops, potatoes are affected by various insects and diseases. The
Colorado potato beetle and the potato leafhopper are the most damaging
insects. Some diseases such as late blight can also be harmful; others are mostly cosmetic, like
common scab. Leafhopper damage, or hopperburn, can be mistaken for late
blight. Consult your local Cooperative Extension office for help with spud
problems.
Colorado Potato Beetle Control
Here are several steps
that help in the battle against CPB.
- Soil health – Healthy soil produces healthy
plants, and healthy plants experience less insect and disease pressure.
- Crop rotation – Rotating plant families in
3–5 year rotations really helps to control insect and disease
problems.
- Field scouting – In home gardens, as plants
emerge, handpick beetles and larvae; drop them into a container of soapy
water. Look under the leaves for orange egg masses and squish them.
- Planting later than normal – Takes plant
emergence out of sync with beetles’ cycle and helps reduce
CPB’s early egg laying.
- Spraying – If your area is too large for
handpicking, you could consider:
- Walking the field – Several days after spraying,
handpick larvae that the spray missed.
We list several products for certified-organic growers but be aware
that no pest- or disease-control product is allowable without filing a plan
for its use under the NOP.
As always, vigilance is the watchword. Please send us your feedback: what worked or didn’t work for you?
If you are trying to identify a pest or need to send an insect or plant
sample to a lab for diagnosis, go to UMaine Cooperative Extension: Insect Pests, Ticks and Plant Diseases,
a useful website of the insect and plant disease diagnostic laboratory, or contact your local
Cooperative Extension Service.
