Home › Pests & diseases › Sweet Potato Leaf Beetle
Sweet Potato Leaf Beetle: signs and treatment in Jamaica
Beetles that heavily defoliate sweet potato vines. PlantArmor's crop guides list sweet potato leaf beetle as a common problem on sweet potato.
Signs to look for
- Large irregular holes chewed in the leaves
- Adult beetles present on the foliage
- Defoliation reduces tuber yield
What to do
Crops it affects
Questions growers ask
How do I recognise sweet potato leaf beetle?
Beetles that heavily defoliate sweet potato vines. The signs to look for: Large irregular holes chewed in the leaves. Adult beetles present on the foliage. Defoliation reduces tuber yield.
What should I do about sweet potato leaf beetle?
Apply contact insecticides (e.g., Malathion, Lambda-cyhalothrin) if defoliation is severe. Always read the product label and observe the registered rate, re-entry period and pre-harvest interval before you apply any pesticide.
Which crops are affected by sweet potato leaf beetle in Jamaica?
PlantArmor's crop guides list sweet potato leaf beetle as a common problem on sweet potato.
Check it in the field
PlantArmor's reference library works offline, so you can compare what you are seeing against it standing in the plot, then log the spray you use along with its re-entry and pre-harvest intervals. Free to use.
This description and treatment come from the same reference library the PlantArmor app uses in the field. Pesticide registrations and permitted uses change — always read the current product label and observe the stated rate, re-entry period and pre-harvest interval.