Abstract
Developmental stages of the potato tuber moth, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller), were subjected to low temperatures to determine the effect of short- and long-term exposure on egg hatch, larval mortality, and adult longevity. The hatching of eggs, for all ages, did not exceed 12 and 38% after 35 d of exposure to 3 and 7 degrees C, respectively. Survival of 1- and 8-d-old larvae was negatively affected by cold storage. One-d-old larvae did not survive 42 d of cold storage at 3 degrees C. No adult emergence occurred after 56 d of exposure to 7 degrees C for 8-d-old larvae. In adult longevity experiments, 5.5 and 8.3% of moths were still alive after 28 and 35 d of storage at 3 and 7 degrees C, respectively. The low temperatures applied during postharvest storage of potatoes could be efficiently used as a protective disinfestation technique against the potato tuber moth. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.