Prevention & Control of Dalo Beetle
Dalo is one of the most important staple food crops in Fiji not only because of its traditional significance but also because of its economic importance. Fiji is currently the major exporter of dalo in the Pacific with exports valued at almost $20 million dollars annually.
However, Fiji’s dalo is also threatened by the taro beetle (Papuana uniondis) Adult dalo beetle damage the underground corms by chewing and burrowing into them creating tunnels. These beetles create large cavities allowing secondary rots to develop causing low quality corms for consumption. Dalo damaged by beetles cannot be exported.