The Possibility of using Some Medicinal Herbs in the Protection of Stored Potato Tubers against Potato Tuber Worm, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller)"

Field experiments were carried out to investigate the efficacy of some medicinal with some vegetable plants in protecting the stored tubers of potatoes (Spunta & Nicola Var.) against infestation with potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller). In the field, the results explained that Spunta variety more attacked by G.gryllotalpa than Nicola var. During harvest, the mechanical losses was more in Spunta(0.9%) than Nicola (0.8 %). The productivity was Higher in Spunta var. than Nicola. In store, P.operculella are active during March and its peak was May. Sustained botanical cover with terminal shoots of basil, eucalyptus, barnuf and marjoram plants lead to high insect infestation for stored potatoes which more dry of foliage more infestation with P.operculella. Re-vegetation of potato tubers with wheat straw, terminal shoots of basil,eucalyptus,barnuf and marjoram plants led to decline average infestation in the stored potato tubers with P.operculella followed by foliage of onion and garlic plants. Non-renewal of vegetation had led to a decline in injury at the beginning of the experiment, but the infestation may have increased with the greater dry of vegetation inside the store.In store, Spunta var. more infested with P.operculella than Nicola var. covering potato tubers with wheat straw leads to the least insect infestation, while use the foliage of potato leads to highest average of infested tubers. It can be concluded that medicinal plants have high potency as natural protector to the stored potatoes against insect injury with P.operculella by reducing the average weight of injured potatoes per ton.