ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Effects of Pseudomonas putida and Vitazyme® on growth and development of the potato tuber moth

The ability of Pseudomonas putida strain BTP1 and the biostimulant (Vitazyme®) to protect potato plants from the potato tuber moth Phthorimaea operculella (PTM) (Zeller) was investigated. Significant negative effects on survival, pupal weight, and fertility of the insect were observed between treatments and control. The results revealed that the BTP1-treated foliage had significantly the highest negative impact on PTM development and reproduction compared to other treatments. The combination of BTP1 and Vitazym® did not result in a synergistic detrimental effect on potato tuber moth reproduction. However, the biostimulant and BTP1 treatments showed the largest negative effects on PTM reproduction due to the density of hairs and trichomes on the treated foliage. Application of BTP1 and Vitazyme® could be a potential tool to reduce the use of insecticides and enhance integrated pest management against potato tuber moth.