@article{Lawrence:256910,
      recid = {256910},
      author = {Lawrence, J. and Bohac, J. and Fleischer, S.},
      title = {Integrated Pest Management of the Sweetpotato Weevil: A  Pilot Study in South Central Jamaica},
      address = {1998-07-12},
      number = {1884-2017-737},
      year = {1998},
      abstract = {The sweetpotato Weevil, Cylas formicarius (Coleoptera:  Apinoidae) is one of the most yield limiting pests  affecting sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas (Family;  Convolulaccae) production in Jamaica. Losses as high as 50  percent of total yield have been reported. Effective low  resource biologically based technologies which are readily  adaptable including the: use ofselected cultural practices  and masstrapping with high doses ofsweetpotato weevil sex  pheromones, have been successfully used in Asia to manage  the weevil. Under the CARDIICRSP IPM research programme,  six fanners in three districts in South Central Jamaica  were selected to demonstrate the effectiveness ofthis  sweetpotato weevil IPM technology under local growing  conditions. An initial baseline survey was conducted to  determine the fanner's perception of the pest and the  production practices being utilised. A modified farmer  field sehool approach was used to disseminate the IPM  technology to the pilot fanners. At harvest, weevil  populations were estimated traps baited with low doses (10  ug) of weevil sex pheromones and crop loss assessments  executed on IPM pilot farms and neighbouring farms within  the target districts. Depending on the socio-economic  factors, pilot farmers utilised the IPM technology to  varying degrees. In comparison to neighbouring farms, IPM  pilot farmers had significantly less weevil infestations  and root damage (P<0.050). Marketable yields were also  higher on the majority ofIPM farms but, overall this was  not significant (p>0.05). With special considerations to  the socio-economic factors identified, refinement of the  IPM practices currently being recommended are discussed.  Also, the observations on the irpprovements in the  knowledge base and competence of the pilot farmers in IPM  are examined in relation to the principle based approach  used to transfer the technology.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/256910},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.256910},
}