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Wireworm Control in Sweet Potato

Steve Izekor, Joseph Burleigh and, Henry English (2001)

Summary

This fact sheet addresses the fact that farmers are concerned about insect damage to sweet potato roots in commercial potato fields. Many farmers growing sweet potatoes for the first time don’t use insecticides, and insect damage occurs long before harvest. Unfortunately, not much can be done at harvest time to rectify damage which has already occurred, especially with a late October harvest. As the soil temperature drops, so does the activity of root-feeding insects.