Control measures

Recommended measures to control potato tuber moth are:

• thorough disinfection of bags, crates and storage areas; 

• destruction of infected tubers, crop residues and leftover potatoes;

• use of uninfested seeds tubers; 

• long rotations because the moth needs the potato plant to complete its life cycle;

• deep planting with high and regular hilling to protect newly formed tubers from moth oviposition; 

• early harvest because the infestation rate increases during the end of the growing period; 

• applying insecticides during the growing season or prior to storage with regular moth monitoring.