Potato growers in the Department of Nariño strengthen their capacities in the management of the purple top–zebra chip complex and potato psyllid in potato crops

• AGROSAVIA’s Obonuco Research Center led a series of field days aimed at strengthening growers’ capacities in the integrated management of this phytosanitary issue.
• Potato growers from the municipalities of Puerres and Córdoba in the department of Nariño gathered to learn firsthand about AGROSAVIA’s progress on key initiatives addressing phytosanitary challenges affecting potato production.
• This initiative represents an interinstitutional effort involving AGROSAVIA, FONTAGRO, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Minciencias), the Rural Development Agency (ADR), the Technical Assistance Directorate, and Corpoagrocentro, all of which are working to strengthen territorial capacities across different municipalities of the department.

 

Pasto, Nariño. June 19, 2026. With the participation of potato growers from the municipalities of Puerres and Córdoba in the department of Nariño, the first of five technical tours scheduled at the Obonuco Research and Technology Transfer Center was conducted. These activities address current topics related to the Purple Top–Zebra Chip Complex and its insect vector, the potato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli Sulc; Hemiptera: Triozidae), including field identification, biology, and the main recommendations for monitoring and its integrated management in potato production systems.

The event included an exchange of experiences regarding the effects of the introduction of Purple Top disease in Nariño, particularly on potato, tree tomato, cape gooseberry, and other solanaceous crops. This approach helped raise awareness of the problem and its impact, including significant reductions in tuber yield and quality, and increased insecticide use, resulting in higher production costs. Participants also expressed concerns about the potential socio-environmental and public health impacts associated with the indiscriminate use of agrochemicals. For this reason, growers emphasized the importance of technical support and replicating knowledge management processes of this kind to better understand Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies and field monitoring methods, which serve as essential tools for timely decision-making.

The visit also included a tour of AGROSAVIA’s experimental plots to evaluate the effect of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria pseudobassiana (strain BvSp1). Preliminary observations indicate that this microorganism has shown strong potential as a biological control agent against the potato psyllid in potato crops. In addition, compatibility studies between the fungus and the agrochemicals commonly used by farmers—including insecticides, natural extracts, and fungicides—were presented, based on laboratory and screenhouse evaluations.

All these activities are being carried out through interinstitutional collaboration and research projects that will create demonstration scenarios focused on the most common phytosanitary constraints affecting potato production. These efforts include the Phytosanitary Excellence Project led by Vecol–UDCA–AGROSAVIA, as well as advances in production and management under controlled tunnel-type environments for the production of high-quality seed potatoes, within the framework of the project “Strengthening the Management of the Potato Purple Top Complex in the Andean Region”, financed by FONTAGRO (ATN/RF-21536-RG).

For participating farmers and technical advisors, these technology transfer and knowledge management activities are highly valuable because they transform research findings into practical, innovative, and context-specific recommendations tailored to the needs of potato-producing families in Nariño.