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Yam Scale: signs and treatment in Jamaica
Tiny sap-sucking insects that encrust yam tubers and vines, weakening the plant and reducing marketability. PlantArmor's crop guides list yam scale as a common problem on yam (yellow/lucca).
Signs to look for
- White, gray, or brown crusty bumps on tubers and lower stems
- Yellowing of vines
- Severely infested tubers shrink and shrivel during storage
What to do
Crops it affects
Questions growers ask
How do I recognise yam scale?
Tiny sap-sucking insects that encrust yam tubers and vines, weakening the plant and reducing marketability. The signs to look for: White, gray, or brown crusty bumps on tubers and lower stems. Yellowing of vines. Severely infested tubers shrink and shrivel during storage.
What should I do about yam scale?
Dip planting material in insecticidal soap or Diazinon before planting. Treat infested vines with horticultural oil. 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 yam scale in Jamaica?
PlantArmor's crop guides list yam scale as a common problem on yam (yellow/lucca).
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.