Journal of Plant Sciences 2015; 3(4): 207-211 Published online July 16, 2015 (http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/jps) doi: 10.11648/j.jps.20150304.16 ISSN: 2331-0723 (Print); ISSN: 2331-0731 (Online) Potato Tuber Moth, Phthorimaea Operculella (Zeller) Management using Entomopathogenic Fungi on Seed Potato Tuber in West Showa, Ethiopia Tekalign Zeleke 1 , Bayeh Mulatu 2 , Mulugeta Negeri 3 1 Sinana Agricultural Research Center, Bale-Robe, Ethiopia 2 Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 3 College of Agricultural and Veterinary Science, Ambo University, Ambo, Ethiopia Email address: tekalign_zeleke@yahoo.com (T. Zeleke) To cite this article: Tekalign Zeleke, Bayeh Mulatu, Mulugeta Negeri. Potato Tuber Moth, Phthorimaea Operculella (Zeller) Management using Entomopathogenic Fungi on Seed Potato Tuber in West Showa, Ethiopia. Journal of Plant Sciences. Vol. 3, No. 4, 2015, pp. 207-211. doi: 10.11648/j.jps.20150304.16 Abstract: Potato Tuber Moth, Phthorimaea operculella is the major insect pest and causes damage both under field and seed storage of Potato, Solanum tuberosum in Ethiopia. For this major threat of productions the experiments were carried out in a simple CRD under laboratory and RCBD design under field condition having three replications to evaluate the Entomopathogenic fungi of B. bassiana (PPRC-56 isolate), M. anisopliae (MM isolate) and V. lecani each at 1x104, 1x105, 1x106, 1x107, 1x108spore/ml (in laboratory) and1x106, 1x107, 1x108spore/ml (in field) for the management of Potato Tuber Moth (PTM). Laboratory investigation of M. anisopliae isolate significantly reduced the damage caused by PTM followed by B. bassiana isolate than the fungal type of V. lecani. The fungal species B. bassiana significantly reduced the infestation of PTM larvae both on the leaves and tubers followed by the M. anisopliae than the V. lecani. In general as the concentration levels of fungus increased, the number of larvae and the damage they caused on leaves were significantly decreased. From the presented studies for the effective management of PTM in potato using B. bassiana and M. anisopliae could be considered and using the higher fungal concentration also advantageous. Keywords: Entomopathogenic Fungi, Potato Tuber Moth, Concentrations, Phthorimaea operculella 1. Introduction Among the major insect pests were identified in Ethiopia by Bayeh and Tadesse (1992)Potato Tuber Moth, Phthorimaea operculella, (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is the most economic important pest of potato and caused damage both under field and storage(Herman et al., 2005).A study conducted at Alemaya, Eastern of Ethiopia in potato growing areas in 2001 revealed that, over 42% of potato tubers were infested by Potato Tuber Moth(PTM)and on the average, 8.7% of the potato tubers were lost due to field infestation by PTM. Field infested tubers are primary source of infestation in storage and later on in the field (CIP, 1988). To reduce field damage and further infestation in storage, minimization of practices that increase exposure of tubers from one place to another, use of different management methods that are economical and selected appropriately suitable to the environment, as well as which does not have significant adverse effect on non target organisms are strongly recommended (Sileshi and Teriessa, 2001). PTM infestation and damaging of potato had been controlled using insecticides for the past years and has rapidly developed resistance to a wide variety of insecticides, hence, effective controlling foliage attack with current insecticides have not prevented occurrence of high level of tuber infestation (Clough et al.,2008). Due to there are a limited work done on different management of PTM developing of Biological control methods for the pathogen agent to reduce the infestation of PTM,P. operculella in the field as well as under storage has thus become desirable to increase production and productivity of potato in the country Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of different Entomopathogenic fungi and the concentration level in reducing infestation by PTM damage on potatoes.