How to treat potatoes from beetles
By planting potatoes on a garden plot, every gardener hopes to get a good harvest of tubers. The end result depends on many factors. These include proper soil preparation, seed selection and planting maintenance. An important measure is the protection of tops and tubers from pests during the growth of the bushes. But, processing potatoes from the Colorado potato beetle before planting the tubers will help keep the seeds from damage, until the emergence of shoots.
Processing potatoes from beetles
Pest control methods
There are only 2 methods of seed protection. At the first, tubers are treated with chemicals, and at the second: by folk methods.
Treatment with pesticides is more effective, but folk remedies do not affect beneficial insects, cannot harm the health of pets and humans.
For each method of processing seed potatoes, the instructions for preparing the solutions must be followed. Toxic chemicals of high concentration can burn the tubers or will be removed from the plants for a long time, not allowing the crop to be harvested at the usual time. Incorrectly prepared organic matter can also harm the sprouts and delay their development, which would be undesirable.
Tuber preparation
Seed material is taken out of storage and sorted, selecting damaged tubers or showing signs of viral diseases. Potatoes are placed for germination indoors, at a temperature of about 18 ° C.
A prerequisite is the germination of tubers when exposed to sunlight. Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, the peel of the fruit begins to turn green and release solanine.
This organic compound is called a poisonous glycoalkaloid (glycoside), which can cause significant harm to soil pests such as:
- wireworm;
- golden cyst nematode;
- cicada;
- bear.
When the peel is consumed by insects, the body is poisoned. First, the nervous system of the pests is affected, and then red blood cells begin to decompose and the insect dies.
When the tuber sprouts reach a height of 4cm, they can be processed. After the procedure, the fruits are dried and planted in a permanent place.
Beetle protection chemicals
The choice of funds is very large
Pesticides include broad-spectrum drugs that are used to treat potatoes before planting. They are very effective and capable of killing adult insects and their larvae.
- Prestige contains an insecticide that accumulates in plant tissues and protects the tops for 50 days.
- Maxim is suitable for treating tubers and soil.
- The Cruiser treater is effective for 8 weeks.
- Insecticide Tabu works for 45 days.
Sometimes, to achieve a greater effect, drugs can be combined.
Prestige
Prestige is usually used as the main ingredient.You can add one of the secondary components to it and process the potatoes. It is not advisable to use more than 2 insecticides at the same time.
The composition of Prestige includes imidacloprid, which belongs to the class of chloronicotinyls. Gardeners call it an insecticide. It causes blockage of the body's nerve impulses, which leads to paralysis of the Colorado potato beetle imago.
Maksim
Insecticide Maxim is created on the basis of a natural active substance. It works similarly to antibiotics that secrete soil bacteria to inhibit the growth and development of pathogenic fungi. The contact fungicide fludioxonil belongs to a relatively new class of phenylpyrroles, recently adopted in the fight against insects.
Cruiser
Cruiser's active ingredient is thiamethoxam, the concentration of which is the highest in the preparation. In second place is metalaxyl, it is 8 times less. The third fungicide is fludioxanil. Its concentration in the preparation reaches a minimum compared to thiamethoxam, which is 35 times more.
Taboo
The composition of the toxic chemical Tabu includes imidacloprid, 500 ml of which is in 1 liter of the drug. The rest of the components are:
- bright signal dyes;
- adhesives;
- wetting agents;
- thickeners;
- antifreeze;
- special disperser.
Due to its composition, the drug stays on the peel for a long time, is not washed off by soil waters and protects as much as possible both the tuber and young seedlings.
Seed tubers processing
Tubers need to be prepared
The scheme of work for dressing potatoes before planting is simple and accessible to everyone. It is only necessary to use personal protective equipment to preserve your own health, such as:
- closed shoes;
- rubber gloves;
- tarpaulin or plastic apron;
- protective glasses;
- a gauze mask or a Petal-type respirator.
Toxic concentrated substances, getting on the skin and mucous membranes, can cause burns, redness and itching.
According to the instructions, a solution is prepared and poured into a spray bottle. Prepared tubers are laid out on a film or dense material in 1 layer. The solution is sprayed and allowed to dry. Then the tubers are turned over and the other side is treated. Dried fruits can be planted in holes, covered with soil and only then removed protective clothing.
Folk methods of struggle
Several decades of struggle with the Colorado potato beetle have taught gardeners to fight the pest with affordable folk remedies.
- A solution of wood ash is used to soak the planting material immediately before planting.
- Solutions of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) and boric acid are less toxic than poisons.
- Copper sulfate is also suitable for dressing tubers.
These agents have a detrimental effect on beetles, but do not poison the tubers.
Wood ash is combined with warm water 1:10 and dipped into the solution, tubers packed in nets. After a few minutes, take out the nets and let the potatoes dry.
Potassium permanganate is diluted in water at room temperature. For 1 g of crystals, take 10 liters of liquid. After 5 minutes, the seed can be planted.
Boric acid is used as an insecticide and fertilizer. For 15 g of boric acid powder, you need a bucket of warm water. In the finished solution, the tubers are pickled for 10 minutes, laid out to dry and planted in a permanent place.
Copper sulfate is used to protect potato tubers by preparing an aqueous solution. For 1 liter of liquid, you need to add at least 1 g of the drug and mix thoroughly until the crystals are completely dissolved. Potatoes are dipped in a solution, kept for several minutes, removed, allowed to dry and laid out in planting pits.
Action of drugs
Depending on the composition of chemicals and the content of organic substances in solutions, the duration of the action of drugs may vary in duration.But all processed potatoes will produce good tops that insects and Colorado beetles cannot damage until the flower buds open. When in contact with leaves or eating them, pests are infected with insecticides, which leads to the death of insects.
After flowering, the content of toxic substances in tubers and tops is reduced to a minimum. 2 months after the treatment of planting material with chemicals, the threat of human poisoning completely disappears when potatoes are eaten.
Conclusion
When harvesting a crop, you can be sure of its quality and that the products are environmentally friendly. By processing the tubers before planting, we not only reduce the introduction of pesticides, but also protect the plants from the invasion of the Colorado potato beetle. Spraying the tops of potatoes, you can destroy beneficial insects and lead the soil to severe contamination with toxic substances. This is easily avoided by following the advice of experienced gardeners and dressing the seed potatoes using primitive means.