Morning glory acts as a reservoir for sweet potato pests

The leafminer moth Bedellia somnulentella finds in sweet potatoes and weeds of the genus Ipomoea a basis for maintaining populations in the field. A study conducted in Diamantina, Minas Gerais, shows greater survival, faster development, and more intense foliar consumption in sweet potatoes ( Ipomoea batatas cv. Beauregard ). Among the spontaneous species evaluated, the morning glory ( Ipomoea hederifolia ) also favored the insect. Trials compared the insect's biological performance on four hosts: Ipomoea batatas , Ipomoea hederifolia , Ipomoea indica and Ipomoea purpurea . The team of scientists monitored eggs, larvae, pre-pupae, pupae, and adults daily in a climate-controlled room. The study recorded five larval instars in all hosts. It also noted morphological variations among larvae raised on different species of Ipomoea . Increased efficiency The insect completed its life cycle more efficiently in Ipomoea batatas . In this plant, the larval stage lasted 10,9 days. In Ipomoea ...