Pacific Pests & Pathogens - Mini Fact Sheet EditionSweetpotato hornworm (027)
Pacific Pests & Pathogens - Mini Fact Sheet EditionSweetpotato hornworm (027)
Summary
- Widespread distribution. Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania. Sweetpotato main host, but it also occurs on eggplant, capsicum, tomato, and legumes. Occasionally, an important pest.
- Larvae eat young succulent leaves. Eggs are laid singly on the leaves and stems. Outbreaks are not common, although they are devastating when they occur.
- Natural enemies: parasitoid wasps and predators.
- Cultural control: avoid planting next to gardens where outbreaks have occurred; handpicking; use chickens; collect vines and other trash and burn after harvest.
- Chemical control: none recommended for routine treatments, as pesticides will disrupt natural control. For major outbreaks: PDPs: neem, derris, pyrethrum, or chilli; or biopesticides – Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), or spinosad. Synthetic pyrethroids are likely to kill natural enemies.
Common Name
Sweet potato hornworm, Convolvulus hawk moth
Scientific Name
Agrius convolvuli
AUTHORS Helen Tsatsia & Grahame Jackson
Information (and Photo 2) from O'Sullivan J et al . Sweetpotato DiagNotes: A diagnostic key and Information tool for sweetpotato problems. (http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/sweetpotato/key/Sweetpotato%20Diagnotes/Media/Html/FrontPage/FrontPage.htm). Photo 3 Wikipedia. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agrius_convolvuli).
Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.
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