Efficacy of Three Strategies Based on Insecticide, Oil and Elicitor Treatments in Controlling Aphid Populations and Potato virus Y Epidemics in Potato Fields

Potato virus Y (PVY), the potato virus with the highest economic impact in Europe, is transmitted by aphids in a non-persistent manner. A two-year field experiment was conducted in Switzerland to evaluate the efficacy of three strategies for controlling aphid populations and the spread of PVY, consisting of treatment with one insecticide (Karate Zeon((R))), one elicitor (Bion((R))) and one oil (Telmion((R))), respectively. The elicitor strategy proved to be ineffective for controlling aphid populations and inadequate for controlling PVY spread. The insecticide strategy gave incomplete protection from aphid infestations, owing to the selection of aphid-resistant clones. The insecticide gave too little protection against PVY spread for it to be considered a suitable candidate for the purpose. The oil strategy had no effect on aphid populations, but was the best option to reduce PVY spread.