Larvae tunnelling in stem (N. Talekar).

Adult male sweetpotato weevil.

• What they do to plants

- larvae feed and tunnel into the stems and storage roots.

- adult weevils feed on the tender buds, leaves, stems and storage roots.

• What you see on  plants

- damage is characterized by small feeding and ovipositional punctures on the stem and storage root surface and larval tunnels filled with frass on the tissues.  

- larval feeding causes thickening, drying and cracking of the stem.

• Larval stage is  the most destructive stage.

• Severely damaged roots become bitter, emit terpene odour, less marketable if not unmarketable.

• Early detection can be done by checking the base of the plant for feeding punctures and exit holes.

• Hot, dry weather favours weevil development.

• Found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions worldwide except in some parts of Africa.

Taxonomy

Economic importance

Geographical distribution

Damage

Morphology

Biology and ecology

Detection and inspection

Management

References

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