Division of Entomology & Nematology, Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla-171 001 (H.P.) (India).
*Presented at the ‘National Seminar on Current Facets in Potato Research’ held between 13th & 15th December, 1989 at Central Potato Research Station, Modipuram-250 110 (Meerut), U.P. (India).
During survey of insect pests of potato crop in Bihar, potato tubers of cv. Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Sindhuri planted at farmers fields in the first week of October, 1988 after paddy crop at/around Patna suffered severe attack of red ant, Dorylus orientalis Westwood. The damaged tubers exhibited minute holes on the entire surface. At harvest, the damage ranged from 70.0 to 90.0 per cent. The meteorological data recorded between 44 and 51 standard weeks indicated that weekly maximum and minimum temperatures ranging, respectively, between 26.0°C and 31.4°C and 10.4°C and 17.1°C with 80.0–90.0% morning and 37.0–49.0% evening relative humidity with no rains in between had jointly favoured the multiplication of D. orientalis. Spraying of infested potato fields with chlorpyrifos (Dursban) 20 EC @ 25 I/ha checked the further spread of infestation.
