Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW MAY/JUNE 2021 31 PEST MONITORING M easuring pest populations should be carried out before any decisions are made on applying insecticides, the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) has advised growers. The PGRO has produced a new masterclass video to help growers understand how to trap and assess pest populations ahead of trapping season. Using a range of preventative tools will be key for potato growers looking to keep silver Y moth at bay this spring. Its caterpillars are polyphagous and can feed on cultivated potato crops. It has been estimated that the number of host plants for the silver ‘Y’ moth caterpillar is in excess of 200 species. It’s imperative that such prevention goes alongside finding more sustainable ways of farming in line with new agricultural policy, according to the PGRO’s Research and Development Manager Dr Becky Howard. Becky says trapping should be part of an integrated approach to pest management, and growers should get their traps in place as soon as possible. “Use of rotation, cultivation, drilling timing, good sanitation and forecasting are all options that farmers can take advantage of to prevent damage caused by pests and reducing the need for spraying,” she said. Silver Y moth is a migratory moth blown up from the south during May and June. When using the silver Y moth trapping system, traps can be put into field margins and, as with other traps, should be checked three times a week. All the latest PGRO Masterclasses are available to watch via YouTube. For more information on integrated pest management tools, visit pgro.org . “Use of rotation, cultivation, drilling timing, good sanitation and forecasting are all options that farmers can take advantage of to prevent damage caused by pests and reducing the need for spraying.” PGRO’s Research and Development Manager Dr Becky Howard Silver Y moth is a migratory moth blown up from the south during May and June. PGRO advises growers to get ready for pest monitoring Silver Y moth