Food Plants International

10
Insects:
Achaea janata (Linnaeus) Noctuidae (LEP) Cacao false looper
Agrius convolvuli (L.) Sphingidae (LEP) Sweet potato hornworm
Aphis sacchari Zehntner Aphididae (HEM) Sugarcane aphid
Apirocalus cornutus (Pascoe) Curculionidae (COL) Horned weevil
Argina cribraria (Clerck) Arctiidae (LEP.)
Atractomorpha crenaticeps Blanch Acrididae (ORTH)
Aulacophora spp. Chrysomelidae (COL) Pumpkin beetles
Bedellia somnulentella (Zeller) Lyonetiidae (LEP) Sweet potato leaf miner
Bemisia tabaci (Guen.) Aleyrodidae (HEM) Tobacco whitefly
Cylas formicarius elegantulus (Summers) Curculionidae (COL) Sweet potato weevil
Ectropis sabulosa Warr. Geometridae (LEP) Cacao looper
Epilachna signatipennis Boisd. Coccinellidae (COL.) Leaf eating beetle
Halticus tibialis Reut Miridae (HEM) Grass bug
Helopeltis clavifer (Walker) Coreidae (HEM) Cacao mired
Hippotion celerio (L.) Sphingidae (LEP) Taro hawkmoth
Omphisa spp. Pyralidae (COL.) Sweet potato stem borer
Phaneroptera brevis Serv Tettigoniidae (ORTH)
Solephyma papuana Galerucidae (COL.)
Tiracola plagiata Walk Noctuidae (LEP) Cacao armyworm
Diseases:
Leaf spot Fungus Ascochyta convolvuli
Collar rot Fungus Athelia rolfsii
Leaf spot Fungus Cercospora bataticola
Black rot Fungus Ceratocystis fimbriata Ell. & Hallst.
Leaf spot Fungus Didymella sp.
Scab Fungus Elsinoe batatas Jenkins & Viegas
Scurf Fungus Moniliochaetes infuscans
Leaf spot Fungus Phoma sorghina
Stems with internalbrowning Fungus Phomopsis ipomoea-batatas
Leaf spot Fungus Phyllosticta sp.
Leaf spot Fungus Pseudocercospora timorensis Cooke
Soft rot Fungus Rhizopus stolonifer (Fr.) Lind.
Tuber rot Fungus Botrydiplodia theobromae
Bacteria Erwinia sp.
Bacteria Erwinia chrysanthemi
Fungus Fusarium sp.
Fusarium wilt/ tuber rot Fungus Fusarium oxysporium Schlecht. ex Fries
Storage rot Fungus Aspergillus sp
And Choanephora sp.
And Mucor sp.
Blue mould rot Fungus Penicillium sp.
Charcoal rot Fungus Macrophomina phaseolina
Little leaf & vein clearing Mycoplasma like organism
Potyvirus leaf curling Virus
Pests:
Rats often eat sweet potato in the gardens.
Importance:
This is the most important food plant in Papua New Guinea. It is particularly important
in highland grassland areas.