Potato worms attack Teso gardens
Worms that eat sweet potato leaves have attacked gardens in the Teso sub-region.
By John Omoding
Worms that eat sweet potato leaves have attacked gardens in the Teso sub-region.
Some farmers have started slashing the vines to get rid of the pests.
The pests, identified as the sweet potato hornworm or hawk moth, can destroy a garden in one day.
The Nabuin Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute research officer, Herbert Okurut Akol, said slashing the vines affects the growth of the root tubers.
He said collecting and destroying the worms was the cheapest way to eliminate them.
“Hand picking larvae from the leaves if the area is small is sufficient. Digging the soil over between crops exposes the pupae, which destroys it,†Okurut advised, adding that most farmers may not afford chemicals for spraying.
“One larva can eat all the leaves of a plant on its own and a large population can destroy a field overnight. It does not feed on the tubers of the sweet potatoes.â€
Okurut said the larvae have a ‘horn’ and are usually green or brown in colour.
He said the adults are large grey moths with black lines on the side. They also have broad incomplete pink bands on the abdomen.
Okurut said other crops that can be affected include egg plants, legumes, pepper and tomatoes.
Destroying young larvae prevents the buildup of hungry older larvae, he said, adding that spraying with insecticide can also destroy the worm.
Okurut, however, said older larvae may require a higher dosage of the insecticide.
Teso is a leading producer of sweet potatoes and supplies markets in Kampala, Jinja and Mbale areas.
The crop matures quickly and was meant to address the food insecurity in the sub-region.
Worms that eat sweet potato leaves have attacked gardens in the Teso sub-region.
Some farmers have started slashing the vines to get rid of the pests.
The pests, identified as the sweet potato hornworm or hawk moth, can destroy a garden in one day.
The Nabuin Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute research officer, Herbert Okurut Akol, said slashing the vines affects the growth of the root tubers.
He said collecting and destroying the worms was the cheapest way to eliminate them.
“Hand picking larvae from the leaves if the area is small is sufficient. Digging the soil over between crops exposes the pupae, which destroys it,†Okurut advised, adding that most farmers may not afford chemicals for spraying.
“One larva can eat all the leaves of a plant on its own and a large population can destroy a field overnight. It does not feed on the tubers of the sweet potatoes.â€
Okurut said the larvae have a ‘horn’ and are usually green or brown in colour.
He said the adults are large grey moths with black lines on the side. They also have broad incomplete pink bands on the abdomen.
Okurut said other crops that can be affected include egg plants, legumes, pepper and tomatoes.
Destroying young larvae prevents the buildup of hungry older larvae, he said, adding that spraying with insecticide can also destroy the worm.
Okurut, however, said older larvae may require a higher dosage of the insecticide.
Teso is a leading producer of sweet potatoes and supplies markets in Kampala, Jinja and Mbale areas.
The crop matures quickly and was meant to address the food insecurity in the sub-region.