Impact of Bemisia tabaci and insecticidal management on yield and tuber size distribution of processing potato cultivars in Meerut Region, India
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Abstract
Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), a destructive whitefly species, poses a serious threat to potato production in India through direct phloem feeding and transmission of viruses such as Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus (ToLCNDV) and Potato Apical Leaf Curl Virus (PALCV). The present study evaluated the impact of B. tabaci infestation and the effectiveness of insecticidal protection on yield and tuber size distribution of six processing potato cultivars-Kufri Sangam, Kufri Chipsona-I, Kufri Chipsona-III, Kufri Chipsona-IV, Kufri Frysona, and Kufri Himsona-under protected and unprotected conditions during the Rabi seasons of 2023-24 in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India. The experiment was conducted in a Randomized Block Design with four replications. A scheduled insecticide spray regime consisting of pymetrozine (0.06%), thiamethoxam (0.05%), and imidacloprid (0.03%) was applied in protected plots. Results showed that insecticidal protection significantly reduced whitefly populations (F = 74.591, p < 0.001) and improved tuber yield. The average tuber yield under protected conditions was 28.04 t/ha, compared to 24.73 t/ha under unprotected conditions. Protected plots also showed improved grading uniformity with a higher proportion of seed-sized tubers (54.47%) and reduced undersized tubers (30.43%) compared to unprotected plots. Correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between seed-sized tuber percentage and average tuber yield under protected conditions (r = 0.88), while undersized tubers showed a negative correlation with yield (r = -0.59). No cultivar exhibited significant resistance to B. tabaci infestation. The findings highlight the yield-suppressing effects of whitefly infestation and emphasize the importance of timely insecticidal intervention during early crop stages to sustain productivity and tuber quality in processing potato cultivars grown in whitefly-endemic regions.
Article Details
Article Details
Bemisia tabaci, Insecticidal Protection, Potato, Tuber Yield, ToLCNDV, Whitefly
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