Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the important vegetable crops in Senegal with the potential to improve the national food supply and economic benefits to smallholder producers. Experiment was conducted from November 2015 to March 2016 to assess the impact of cut seed tubers and pre-germination on seed tuber storage conditions on potato tubers yield. Four treatments were used for experiment. Pre-plant seed treatments were (T1) 136 whole seed tubers 45-55 g then pre-germinated; (T2) 68 cutted tubers 22-28 g then pre-germinated; (T3) 68 pre-germinated seed tubers then cut 22-28 g; (T) 136 whole seed tubers 45-55 g not pre-germinated (maintained 4 °C). Plants grown from whole and pre-germinated seed tubers had significantly higher yield and more number of secondary stems per plant, when compared to cut and or no pre-germinated seed (P < 0.001). Daughter tubers produced from cut seed resulted in higher small size potato tubers than those from whole seed (P < 0.001). However, no significant difference was found on potato seed emergence. Our results indicated a clear advantage to plant whole and pre-germinated seed potatoes with the aim of producing healthier daughter tubers and increasing yields.Keywords: Seed potato, whole seed, pre-germination, Niayes, Senegal.

Chenille légionnaire est un ravageur du maïs récemment signalé en Afrique. Sa grande capacité de migration lui permet de coloniser des milieux variés. La lutte chimique, souvent utilisée contre ce ravageur est inefficace et pollue l’environnement. L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer les effets de la technologie Push-pull sur le contrôle naturel de la chenille légionnaire en culture de maïs. L’essai a été effectué dans le bassin arachidier du Sénégal sur deux parcelles de 900 m2. La parcelle Push-pull associe le maïs au Desmodium intertum (Mill) en intercalaire et le Brachiaria cv mulato sur le contour. Des échantillonnages hebdomadaires des ravageurs et des prédateurs sur cinquante pieds de maïs ont été effectués au hasard dans chaque parcelle. Les chenilles collectées ont été suivies au laboratoire jusqu’à l’émergence des parasitoïdes ou des adultes de S. frugiperda. Les paramètres de croissance végétative ont été également notés durant tout le cycle de la culture. La parcelle Push-pull présentait la plus grande biodiversité entomologique. Le ravageur S. frugiperda, malgré sa forte pullulation, a été totalement contrôlé par les ennemis naturels dans la parcelle Push-pull. Les résultats ont montré que la technologie Push-pull augmente le rendement du maïs. The armyworm is a maize pest recently reported in Africa. Its great migratory capacity allows it to colonise various environments. The chemical control often used against this pest is ineffective and pollutes the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of Push-pull technology on the natural control of armyworm in maize. The trial was carried out in the groundnut basin of Senegal on two 900 m2 plots. The Push-pull plot combined maize with Desmodium intertum (Mill) as an intercrop and Brachiaria cv mulato on the contour. Weekly sampling of pests and predators on fifty maize plants is carried out at random in each plot. The collected caterpillars were followed in the laboratory until the emergence of parasitoids or adults of S. frugiperda. Vegetative growth parameters were also recorded throughout the crop cycle. The Push-pull plot showed the highest entomological biodiversity. The pest S. frugiperda, despite its high outbreak, was completely controlled by natural enemies in the Push-pull plots. The results showed that the Push-pull technology increases maize yield.