Reaction of sweet potato genotypes to sweet potato weevils (Cylas puncticollis (boheman) and Alcidodes dentipes (olivier), coleoptera: curculionidae) and viruses in Eastern Hararge, Oromiya, Ethiopia

Nineteen sweet potato genotypes were screened for tolerance against sweet potato weevils and viruses at different locations of Eastern Hararge. Disease incidence and weevil population was assessed using standard procedures. Results of this study revealed that sweet potato weevils (SPW) and sweet potato virus diseases (SPVD) were present in studied area varied among sweet potato genotypes. Genotypes; Awassa-83, Bekale-A, Bekale-B, CN-1752-9, Cuba-2, Korojo, TIS-70357-5 and TIS-9465-2 had least load of SPW while, Bekale-A, TIS-8250-7 and TIS-9465-2 genotypes were free of virus diseases. Genotypes showing resistance to sweet potato can be used in varietal improvement program. The present studies concluded that the resistant sweet potato genotypes identified for SPW and SPVD could be utilized in integrated sweet potato production for the locations where the pests are major production bottleneck, like in Eastern Hararge.   Key words: Resistant, tolerance, Integrated pest management (IPM), sweet potato viruses, Oromiya, Hararge.