07/21/06 Potato tuberworm

SIMKO "We have not seen any damaged tubers, any economic problems in our potato production fields throughout the state." That's Idaho State Department of Agriculture entomologist Ben Simko who says more traps have been set up in the potato production areas of southern Idaho on the heels of the discovery of potato tuber moths last year near Parma and in Elmore County. SIMKO "These traps have a lure that contains an insect pheromone, that is a chemical that is very specific to just that species of pest or just that species of moth." Several entomologists believe that the tubermoth has been in the Northwest for years but at such low levels that it just never showed up. SIMKO "Recently and we're not sure why whether we're dealing with a different biotype or stain of this pest or mild winters and warming temperatures, for some reason and that's still an unanswered question this thing has blown up into a serious problem." And that problem is in Oregon and Washington. Idaho growers are trying to do all they can with the state's help to nip the problem here before it becomes a major one here. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott