Potato Aphid

Catalogue Type

Plant Pests Catalogue

Scientific Name

Macrosiphum euphorbiae

Family

Aphididae

Distinguishing Characters

The potato aphid has both a pink and a green color biotype.
This aphid is much bigger than the green peach aphid with a more elongate body shape and is generally found on the terminals of tomato plants later in the season than green peach aphids.
Size of Adult is :2 - 4 mm
It is also considered to be more damaging

Host Crop

a variety of vegetable plants including tomatoes

Order

Hemiptera

Photo of Insect

Photo of Damaged Crop

Description

High potato aphid populations can distort leaves and stems, stunt plants, and cause necrotic spots on leaves.

These aphids also secrete a large amount of honeydew that promotes development of sooty mold on foliage and fruit.

Plants are particularly susceptible to yield losses from high infestations during the period from 6 to 8 weeks before harvest.

Yield losses from equally high aphid populations decline substantially as harvest approaches, unless aphid densities are reducing leaf area enough to permit sunburn.