8 Pests and Diseases of Taro and Their Handling

Handling the control of plant-disturbing organisms is very important so that plant cultivation can later provide optimal harvests. In the cultivation of taro plants, disturbing organisms come from pests, diseases, and weeds.

Here are some pests and diseases that are often} and how to control them.

Pest Management

1. Hama Aphis gossypii

Aphis gossypii pests can damage taro plants by sucking the liquid on the leaves. This pest can secrete honey liquid and can attract ants. Plants attacked by Aphis gossypii have the characteristics of dry and curly leaves.

Aphis gossypii pests also attack melons, cucumbers, pumpkins, and cotton. For control by using insecticides with the active content of carbaryl, diazinon dimethoate, and malathion. Use with insecticides if the level of attack is not high on young plants and it can be overcome.

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Attacks on Aphis gossypii pests can spread throughout the world except for countries that have winters such as Siberia and Canada.

2. Pest caterpillar Heppition calerino

The caterpillar pest Heppition calerino is a large caterpillar that feeds on the leaf blade. If the population is large, this caterpillar pest Heppotion calerino not only eats the leaves, but eats on the leaf midrib so that the taro plant becomes bald.

The caterpillar pest Heppition calerino can be controlled by taking caterpillars and destroying them. It could also be plowing the land, because the cocoons of the caterpillars are in the ground.

Chemical control can be done by using insecticides based on carbaryl active against land with an attack rate of 50%. Chemical control has been carried out in Papua New Guinea

The caterpillar pest Heppotion calerino besides being able to destroy taro plants, this caterpillar pest can also destroy green beans, sugar and sweet potatoes.

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The caterpillar pest Heppition calerino can spread and be found in several countries with tropical and sub-tropical seasons such as Australia and the Pacific.

3. Insect Pest Agrius convolvuli

Similar to the caterpillar Heppition calerino, the insect Agrius convolvuli has a large size by eating taro leaves. Even with a large population, these insects can eat leaf midribs and plants so that they become bald.

The insect Agrius convolvuli can be controlled in the same way as the heppition caterpillar, by picking it up and burning it, or by plowing the soil because the cocoons are in the soil. Chemical control can use insecticides with an active ingredient of 0.2% carbaryl on small caterpillars.

This insect can spread in several countries, namely Africa, Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, South China, Southern Europe, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, islands in the Pacific and Papua New Guinea.

The cocoons live in the soil, plowing the soil can help eradicate the cocoons. Meanwhile, the destruction of caterpillars is the right step for small areas.

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4. Ulat Spodoptera litura

The small Spodoptera litura caterpillar will eat the leaves so that the epidermal layer of the leaves is lost and the leaves look transparent and dry. If the caterpillar Spodoptera litura matures, the caterpillar will eat the leaves until the taro plant becomes bare.

For control, insecticides with the active ingredient carbaryl can be used at a 50% attack rate and carried out when the caterpillars are still small. In addition, you can use monocrotophos, quinalphos and endosulfan to be more efficient.

5. Insect tetranycus cinnabarinus

Tetranycus cinnabarinus insects attack taro plants by sucking the leaf juice which causes the leaves to become yellow and white spots. At high populations, the leaves turn white, wither, and eventually die. To control it using pesticides with active ingredients azodrine, caerol, galecron, plictron, omite, and trition.

6. dirty Hepialiscus

Hepialiscus sordida attacks on the leaves so that they are hollow with 5-10 cm diameter marks and filled with insect droppings. If there is a very severe attack, the tubers will disappear and only the base of the stem will be easily removed. Farmers can control it by using manure.

7. Insect tarophagus proserpina

Tarophagus proserpina insects, either nymphs or adults, attack by sucking taro leaves into brownish chlorosis. To control it, it can be done by using  effective types of predators such as Cyrtorthinus pulus and other types of insects. Chemical control can use insecticides with active ingredients such as carbaryl, malatonin, and tri chloroform.

8. Insects bemisia tabaci

Bemisa tabaci are the same as tarophagus insects because these insects attack by sucking leaves and plants become stunted. This pest control can be done with cabaryl, tri-chloroform and malation.

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Disease Handlers

Leaf blight has several early symptoms that must be considered, namely there are black spots and can enlarge and if the disease is very severe the leaves will turn dry.

The control itself can be done by planting taro with superior varieties that have high resistance to disease and leaf blight attacks.