Development of Attract-and-kill for the benefit of small scale potato farmers

J. Kroschel, O. Zegarra, S. Guvener

RTB Annual Meeting

08. – 10.12.2015, Lima, Peru

The potato tuber moth complex

Symmetrischema tangolias

♀ ♂

Phthorimaea operculella

♂ ♀

Tecia solanivora

♀ ♂

Potato Tuber Moth, Phthorimaea operculella • Invasive species; reported from more than 90 countries • Adapted to wide range of different climates and agroecologies • Yield losses due to leaf and tuber infestation at harvest • Important storage pest in tropical and subtropical countries • Oligophagous: Potato, tomato, tobacco, eggplant, aubergine, cape goosebery, bell pepper

Green points: countries with reported pest establishment Red points: geo-referenced distribution data

Andean potato tuber moth, Symmetrischema tangolias • Distributed in the Andean region, in Australia, New Zealand • Adapted to a limited range of climatic and agroecological conditions • Yield losses depend on infestations of stems and tubers at harvest • Principle pest in potato storage in the Andes • Oligophagous: potato, tomato, poroporo, bell pepper

Green points: countries with reported pest establishment Red points: geo-referenced distribution data

Guatemalan Potato Tuber Moth, Tecia solanivora

• Native from Guatemala, T. solanivora is considered one of the most serious pests of potato in Central and South America

• Adapts to different climatic conditions in subtropical/tropical regions from 1,000 to 3,500 m asl

• In Central America, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela main pest under field and storage conditions

• Monophagous: potato

Green points: countries with reported pest establishment Red points: geo-referenced distribution data

Sexual pheromones

Phthorimaea operculella (Persoons et al. 1975)

Symmetrischema tangolias (Griepink 1996)

CH3O CH3

OCH3

O CH3

O

CH3

O CH3

O

CH3 O CH3

O

CH3 O CH3

O Tecia solanivora (Nesbitt et al. 1984)

• Detection, quarantine P. operculella, U.S., Washington State, Oregon T. solanivora, Peru

• Control thresholds No reliable information

• Studies of flight activity Worldwide

• Mass trapping 45 traps/ha reduced PTM infestation below

insecticide treatment (Raman 1988)

Use of pheromones

• Attract-and-kill approach (Bayer Crop Science, Germany)

“Efficient control at small plot sizes and higher pest densities” (Loesel et al., 2000): reflecting the situation of potato farming in developing countries.

Attract-and-kill – Field application Pheromone + contact insecticide + vegetal oil + UV

absorbents and stabilizers

(Kroschel & Zegarra: Pest Manag Sci 2010)

2500 droplets/ha ≈ one drop/4 m2

Droplet size: 100µl Applicator size: 250 ml/ha *100 ml/1000-2000m2 and 2 applications *(ideally for small scale potato farmers)

Immediate and stable reduction of males!!!

Days after application of attract-and-kill

Num

bers

of m

ales

per

trap

/day

1st application 2nd application

0

40

80

120

160

1st application 2nd application

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

71

30 Yungay, Ancash, 2,500 m asl

La Victoria, Australia, 87 m asl

Attract-and-kill: Field efficacy to reduce P. operculella male population

control

control

attract-and-kill

attract-and-kill

(Kroschel & Zegarra: Pest Manag Sci 2013)

Control 1 droplet of 100µl / 4 m2

3411

1250

5982

867 500 24 252 81

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

La Molina-Lima Yungay-Ancash La Victoria- Australia

Valle del Mantaro

98 %

96 %

91 %

86 %

Efficacy >90% to reduce the male population in different potato agroecologies!

Attract-and-kill: Field efficacy to reduce P. operculella male population

(Kroschel & Zegarra: Pest Manag Sci 2013)

Attract-and-kill – Storage application Application: 1x, beginning of storage period Application density: 1 droplet/m2 of potato cover Applicator size: 1-5 ml

High efficacy of few drops to reduce tuber infestation!

Phthorimaea operculella

Tube

r in

fest

atio

n

rate

and

inte

nsity

(%

)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

89.3

39.9

12.3 4.8

Infestation rate

Infestation intensity

Infestation rate

Infestation intensity

Control Attract-and-kill

Attract-and-kill: Control efficacy in potato stores

(Kroschel & Zegarra: Pest Manag Sci 2013)

Attract-and-kill: Part of IPM in potato production systems of the Andes

*Might be necessary, if Epitrix spp. occurs in high populations or in potato monoculture!

Planting Emergence Vegetative development Harvest Storage

Potato IPM highlands <3800 m

Plastic barriers

Attract-and-kill

Application of selective insecticides*

Pest scouting

Healthy seed

Healthy seed

Talco-Bt

Potato IPM highlands >3800 m

Pest scouting

Plastic barriers

The technologies have to be embedded into the best cultural practices for potato and each pest!

1

1

2 Attract-and-kill 2

3

Application of selective insecticides*

Attract-and-kill – Value proposition

• Reduces effectively the male population and the number of offspring. Provides very high protection under field/storage conditions.

• Ease of application. Provides pest specific control. Harmless to natural enemies, safe for humans and the environment.

• Considering the specific mode of action and type of application no similar product is on the market for the control of potato tuber moths.

• Competitive products are conventional insecticides and/or regional available biopesticides but which by no means have similar compelling advantages.

Attract-and-kill – Goal Target beneficiaries Farmers requiring the control of P. operculella/S. tangolias in potato or other host crops, thereby reducing major crop losses and providing food security considering environmental protection.

The products have been developed for the use by small scale potato farmers in Peru and neighbouring countries (Bolivia, Colombia, and Ecuador).

Considering the global economic distribution and impact, especially of P. operculella, medium and long-term goals are to establish the product on markets in other regions and countries.

Attract-and-kill – Goal

Evidence for value proposition The product has been widely tested over the last 10 years under different environmental conditions and potato agroecologies:

- In Peru and Bolivia in the Andean region

- In Bhutan and Nepal in the Himalaya region, as well as in Australia.

Partners have highly acknowledged its efficacy creating benefits for farmers.

National potato programs, e.g. in Bhutan and Bolivia are requesting its registration and use.

Peru

Nepal

Bhutan

Attract-and-kill – Competitive advantages/disadvantages and benefits for its users

Field application Application is fully consistent with the aims of IPM.

Application in droplets and the high specificity ensures that only the target species are affected; fully avoids deleterious effects on beneficials.

The insecticide is rationally used in very low volume.

Provides long-term field stability.

Easy to use hand-held applicator, low volume for field application: esp. useful for small-scale farmers with small field sizes (0.1-0.2 ha).

Application technology is viewed unpractical for large- scale potato production systems, e.g. of Australia.

Attract-and-kill – Competitive advantages/disadvantages and benefits for its users

Storage application Unique for its use under storage conditions;

there is no competition with regard to efficacy, safety, handling and overall application costs.

Storage often takes place in rooms close to living areas where farm families can become exposed to chemical products.

Application at the beginning of the storage period provides long-term control.

Application of low volumes per storage area (1 drop/1-2 m2).

Nepal

Attract-and-kill – Potential Benefitting Farmers Total available market Geographic regions/countries in which target pests occur today and in future causing significant crop losses in potato and other host plants (tomato, tobacco etc.) and for which farmers seek sustainable control options.

Establishment Risk Index (ERI)

(A) Worldwide 0 0.1-0.6 0.6-0.95 0.95-1.00

Potato production areas (ha) 2000 By 2050 2000 By 2050 2000 By 2050 2000 By 2050

Africa 205 46 16,559 -11,650 107,366 -58,595 1,007,651 70,200

Asia 48,370 -28,083 4,571,768 -671,597 1,546,874 488,726 2,008,662 210,954

Europe 9,977 -5,796 8,336,685 -228,608 167,344 161,013 56,214 73,391

North America 204 -165 641,364 -32,707 35,442 19,715 102,999 13,158

Oceania 107 1 11,530 -7,315 25,672 -10,550 15,571 17,864

South America 167,368 -77,997 109,537 -31,668 116,888 21,786 528,724 87,880

Total 226,231 -111,995 13,687,443 -983,546 1,999,585 622,094 3,719,820 473,446

(B) South America

Bolivia 18,455 -17,332 45,283 -26,949 31,218 22,861 32,539 21,421

Colombia 15,274 -11,973 5,381 -2,013 6,748 -2,246 140,855 16,232

Ecuador 15,507 -8,717 2,499 -852 5,858 -3,259 35,908 12,829

Peru 121,280 -51,784 21,298 12,138 18,623 6,960 86,855 32,685

Venezuela 965 -620 163 19 313 -286 18,430 887

Total 171,481 -90,425 74,625 -17,658 62,760 24,030 314,587 84,054

Attract-and-kill – major competitors and environmental enablers

Major competitors - Conventional insecticides (of any company); very well introduced, good

network of retailers. - Biopesticides (e.g., MATAPOL®, produced by PROINPA, Bolivia; talco-Btk,

produced by governments and farmers’ associations). Very small segment with very limited availability and distribution.

Enabling environment (opportunities) - Trend to use “green” products with less environmental risks and impacts. - Governmental and non-governmental organizations and farmers

associations supportive in the introduction and use. - RED-MIPapa (IPM network with a communication website). - Introduction as part of development projects. - Development organizations to co-fund production and commercialization. - CIP is well-known and has many strategic partners in Peru and the Andean

region.

• World Bank • El Fondo Regional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (FONTAGRO) •

Thank-you!

Acknowledgement