~ 53 ~ ISSN Print: 2664-9926 ISSN Online: 2664-9934 Impact Factor: RJIF 5.45 IJBS 2021; 3(2): 53-56 www.biologyjournal.net Received: 03-09-2021 Accepted: 08-10-2021 Shahid Muddebihal Department of Entomology, College of Horticulture, UHSB Campus, GKVK post, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India Chandrashekar GS Horticulture Research and Extension Station, Arsikere, Karnataka, India Ramegowda GK Regional Horticulture Research and Extension Centre, UHSB campus, GKVK post, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India SV Patil College of Horticulture, UHSB Campus, GKVK post, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India Amarananjundeswara H Horticultural Research and Extension Centre & AICRP, (Potato), Somanahalli Kaval, Hassan, Karnataka, India HC Krishna College of Horticulture, Tamaka, Kolar, Karnataka, India Prasad PS Horticulture Research and Extension Station, Arsikere, Karnataka, India Corresponding Author: Shahid Muddebihal Department of Entomology, College of Horticulture, UHSB Campus, GKVK post, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India Studies on impact of storage materials and methods on potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) on potato Shahid Muddebihal, Chandrashekar GS, Ramegowda GK, SV Patil, Amarananjundeswara H, HC Krishna and Prasad PS Abstract Potato tuber moth (PTM), Phthorimaea operculella Zeller originated in Latin America and co-evolved with its host plant potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). It has become one of the most serious insect pests around the world, including in India. Laboratory studies were conducted against PTM for the pest build-up; % tuber dried and rot and extent of tuber tunneling. The mean% infestation of PTM using different storage materials after 90 days of storage was witnessed highest (56.92%) in wooden bins and it was least in cartoon box stored tubers (48.59%), while among different storage methods, it was recorded highest with 61.88% in plastic bin stored tubers and was lowest in low temperature stored tubers (5.45%).% tubers dried after 90 days of storage period was maximum in tubers inserted with agave leaf bits (40%) and it was minimum in nylon mesh bags (5%) among different storage materials. The same was resulted with no tubers dried in both low temperature and pit stored tubers among different storage methods and it was highest in heap method with paddy straw cover (10%). A maximum of 85.00% tuber rot was recorded in tubers inserted with agave leaf bits and a minimum of 10.00% in tubers stored in wooden bins among the storage materials. Among different storage methods, percent tuber rot ranged from 10.00 to 75.00% in tubers storage in low temperature and heap method, respectively. Extent of tuber tunneling among storage materials ranged from 22.22% (40 mesh nylon bags stored tubers) to cent percent (tubers stored in wooden bins and bamboo bins). The same was witnessed with a minimum of 0.33% in low temperature storage method in polythene bags and a maximum of 73.33% in plastic bin stored tubers. Therefore, the development of control technologies and intensive monitoring is necessary in future days to come, for stable potato production as well as potato post-harvest. Keywords: Potato tuber moth (PTM), Phthorimaea operculella, storage, materials, methods 1. Introduction Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is a root vegetable native to America, a starchy tuber of the plant and a perennial in the family of solanaceae. The potato is a staple food belonging to the tuber and root family. It is one of the top four crops in the world after rice, wheat and maize (Ross, 1986; Douches et al., 2004) [8, 3] . Potato is an essential food in developing countries claiming fourth place after rice, wheat and corn. These countries produce approximately one- third of the worldwide production of potato. It is a fat-free food containing protein, vitamins and minerals (Meyhuay, 2001) [7] . Unfortunately, severe losses may occur in storage, especially in the developing countries where, low-income farmers cannot afford cold storages. A worldwide pest of potatoes is a major challenge that farmers are facing as they are intensifying their production techniques to satisfy the increasing demands of the international market. Among them, potato tuber moth (PTM), Phthorimaea operculella Zeller is a major pest of potato throughout the world, but prefer sub-tropical, tropical and Mediterranean climates. It is also known as potato tuber moth, potato tuber worm, potato tubeworm moth, potato moth, potato leaf miner; tobacco split worm and tobacco leaf miner. It is an oligophagous pest, feeds on crops belonging to the family solanaceae (mainly potato, tomato, tobacco, brinjal, bell pepper, cape-gooseberry and other solanaceous weeds like black night shade, datura etc.). Earlier it was a minor pest of tobacco for more than 100 years, but recently over last five years in North Carolina, it has emerged as a problem in tobacco plantings. International Journal of Biology Sciences 2021; 3(2): 53-56