Among the years 1923-1925 at the laboratories of biological investigations, of HarvardUniversity it were took place experiments that followed to a publication of a report concerning theselection capacity of the nutrition by the Colorado beetle. Recently, it was published one or twoadditional works referring to choose as testifier plant of the potato by the Colorado beetle and thus thatproblem appeared good for investigation. Besides its importance as pest of the potato cultures theColorado beetle was of special interest by the cause of obviously change of its type of nutrition withleaves of domestic potato (Solanum tuberosum) that took place with more than a century ago, when it wasfirstly remarked that it feed with the leaves of wild potato (Solanum rostratum). However, the preferencesof that pest face to the testifier weren’t so clear and that meant it were realized some studies by moreentomologist from abroad, while in our country the investigations in that domain were poor and inconsequences it might be completed and further improved. After the bibliographic study made, the mainpurpose of the investigations was to identify some Romanian and abroad species of Solanum tuberosumpreferred as testifier plant the Colorado beetle and with a great sensibility to its attack, in regions (healand plain) to the weather conditions. For realizing some investigations during the years 2012, theexperimental field was placed to Didactical Base of Timisoara USAB, Timis district and to familiar farmfrom Hateg locality, Hunedoara district.Species taken in study were: the Romanian local species andMarfona Dutch species. Between the two species of potato taken in study, the Marfona Dutch species wasthe one with a bigger sensibility to the attack of Colorado being obviously preferred by it. Taken in viewthe two regions with different weather conditions, the pest density was higher to the plain (Timisoaralocality), than to the hill (Hateg locality).In conclusion, we could say that the hill region was one morefavorable for potato culture than the plain region because it wasn’t a place with a highest risk for theattack of Colorado beetle, and the damages produced weren’t too high for the culture; and so far thespecies cropped, were better to the culture of Romanian local species because was more resistant to thebeetle attack comparative with the Dutch species, which was more sensitive.

Colorado Potato Beetle, potato species, attack, sensibility

Presentation: oral