Acerca de los

Gusanos cortadores

Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel, 1776), Peridroma saucia (Hübner, 1808),
Agrotis segetum (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
 

Distribution

Cutworms are larvae of several noctuid moth species which are cosmopolitan (images below). Most widely distributed are the black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon), the variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia) and the turnip moth (Agrotis segetum). Their origin is uncertain but specimens which were used to describe A. ipsilon in 1766 were collected from Austria.
 

Host range

Cutworms are polyphagous and have been reported as a pest on nearly all vegetable crops and some cereals. It’s a pest in potato, maize, alfalfa, clover (Trifolium L.), cotton, rice, sorghum, strawberry, sugar beet, and tobacco. The larvae sometimes prefer to feed on weeds such as bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), curled dock (Rumex crispus L.), lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.), yellow rocket (Barbarea vulgaris W.T. Aiton); and redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.).

Considerable damage has also been observed among shrubs and trees such as linden (Tilia sp.), wild plum (Prunus sp.), crabapple (Malus sp.), and lilac (Syringa vulgaris L.). Cereals such as oats (Avena sativa L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), sorghum, maize, and wheat (Triticum spp.) are also affected.
 

Symptoms of infestation

The cutworm larvae remain in the soil at the base of the plant during the day. At night, some species cut down the stems of young potato plants, while other species climb the plants and feed on their leaves. Old instar larvae can occasionally tunnel into potato stems disrupting plant growth.

Tubers closer to the ground surface may suffer occasional damage. In a single night, as single larva can cut down several potato plants.

Impacts on production losses

Cutworms if not detected early and during outbreaks can cause up to 100% crop loss through cutting down of potato plants.