News on Colorado Potato Beetle from the United States

The Colorado potato beetle has evolved resistance to more than 50 different kinds of insecticides, making the insect a 'super pest' that wreaks havoc on potatoes around the world.

In a new study, published in Crop Science, researchers describe genetic tools to develop potato varieties with improved natural resistance to the Colorado potato beetle

Native to the Rocky Mountains, the Colorado potato beetle has now spread to many parts of the world and quickly overcoming almost every pesticide thrown in its way. A new UVM study sheds light on how these insects become resistant so fast.

The Colorado potato beetle is notorious for its role in starting the pesticide industry - and for its ability to resist the insecticides developed to stop it. Now scientists have sequenced the beetle’s genome, probing its genes for clues to its surprising adaptability.

UMaine scientists say farmers could try to protect their potato crop by utilizing agricultural practices — including crop rotations and push-pull strategies — to create field conditions that favor Colorado potato beetle cannibalism.

Justin Clements, a fifth year doctoral student in the Molecular and Environmental Toxicology Center working in the Department of Entomology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is the recipient of the 2016-2017 NPC Academic Scholarship.

According to the University of Minnesota Extension 'Spudbug' Newsletter, it is shaping up to be a Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB) year in the Red River Valley.

Potato growers in Maine are cautiously watching the actions of the EPA as it reviews federal regulations for a popular insecticide (Imidacloprid - an effective insecticide against the Colorado potato beetle) that can be harmful to bees.

Barcodes may bring to mind the sales tags and scanners found in supermarkets and other stores. But U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are using 'DNA barcodes'to monitor insects that damage crops as diverse as wheat, barley and potatoes, and to make pest management decisions.

Insecticide resistance management is not always on the minds of potato growers when faced with menacing crop pests, but straying from the recommended usage guidelines can eventually make the situation much worse.