Presentation delivered by Jurgen Kroschel during the RTB Annual Meeting, 8-10 December, Lima, Peru

1. 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

2. The potato tuber moth complex
Symmetrischema
tangolias
♀ ♂
Phthorimaea
operculella
♂♀
Tecia
solanivora
♀ ♂

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Sexual pheromones
Phthorimaea operculella
(Persoons et al. 1975)
Symmetrischema tangolias
(Griepink 1996)
CH3
O CH3
O
CH3
O CH3
O
CH3
O CH3
O
CH3
O CH3
O
CH3 O CH3
O Tecia solanivora
(Nesbitt et al. 1984)

7. • 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.

8. 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)

9. Immediate and stable reduction of males!!!
Days after application of attract-and-kill
Numbersofmalespertrap/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)

10. 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)

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

12. High efficacy of few drops to reduce tuber infestation!
Phthorimaea operculella
Tuberinfestation
rateandintensity(%)
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)

13. 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-kill2
3
Application of selective insecticides*

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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

17. 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.

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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.

21. • World Bank
• El Fondo Regional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria
(FONTAGRO)
•
Thank-you!
Acknowledgement