Evaluation of the Diversity and Population of Leaves Sucking Insects During Plantation Initiation of Three White Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Varieties in Timba Nuh Village, East Lombok Muhammad Sarjana (a*), Aluh Nikmatullah (b)
a*)Postgraduate Studies, University of Mataram, Jalan Majapahit 62 Mataram, 83127, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Indonesia
*janjan62[at]gmail.com
b) Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mataram, alan Majapahit 62 Mataram, 83127, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Indonesia
Abstract
Potato (Solanum tubersoum L.) is increasingly important crop in Indonesia. Current potato plantation in Indonesia is mainly undertaken in high land areas. However, limited availability of suitable areas limits the production, and therefore extension of production to a lower latitude is needed. Successful plantation in medium latitude may include selection of suitable variety and management of major potato insects. This research evaluated diversity and population of potato leaves sucking pests during initiation of white potato plantation in the medium latitude of Timba Nuh village in East Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. The research used a descriptive method, by weekly evaluation of leaf-sucking insects type and population in the insects traps of the plantation of three potato varieties, i.e. Granola L., Bliss and McRusset established from the virus and disease-free of G0 tubers. The results showed that five species of leaf sucking pests obtained during the plantation, i.e.Bemicia tabaci, Aphid spp., Thrips palmy, Planococcus sp., and Tetranycus spp. Bemicia tabaci, Aphid spp., Thrips palmy, and Planococcus sp were observed in all varieties while Tetranycus spp was obatined in Granola variety only. The highest population of pest attack was obtained in McRusset variety at age 9 weeks after planting (wap), followed by Bliss and Granola variety. The highest pest population was in McRusset variety with population of was 8862 and attack intensity at 8 wapof ca.73,4%. At the same time, the lowest population was in Granola variety of 6776 and highest attack intensity at wap of 59.4%. In all potato varieties, the dominance of leaf-sucking pests was Aphids spp. with abundance equal to 77.36%, 78.70%, and 83.81% for Blis, McRusset and Granola varieties, respectively. Bliss variety had a higher growth and yield whilst the McRusset variety had the lowest growth and yield
