M. V. Pushnya, E. Yu. Rodionova, E. G. Snesareva, V. Ya. Ismailov
All-Russian Research Institute of Biological Plant Protection, Krasnodar, p/o 39, 350039, Russian Federation
Abstract. The purpose of the research was to study the regulatory role of entomophages of dominant winter wheat pests and to determine the possibility of using them as one of the main elements of wheat protection in organic farming technologies. The work was performed in 2014–2019 in the central and foothills zones of the Krasnodar Territory. In the experiments, we determined the species composition and number of complexes of dominant pests of winter wheat, as well as their main entomophages. During the research, we did not use any chemical treatments and did not apply any mineral fertilizers. Monitoring of insects in wheat crops was conducted weekly. The dominant pests were Eurygaster integriceps, greenbugs, Lema melanopus, and wheat thrips. The vigorous activity of aphidophages, including polyphagous predators: beetles from the Coccinellidae family, completely contained the number of aphids. In the earing phase, their number was 3.6–10.6 pcs/25 mowings using entomological net; in the milk ripeness phase, their number was 0.0–0.5 pcs/ear. Coccinellidae also controlled the number of wheat thrips at the level not exceeding the economic threshold of harmfulness during the entire growing season. The presence of row crops and nectar plants in the studied agroecosystems (crop rotations) created conditions for the activation and reproduction of parasites of Eurygaster integriceps – Telenomuses (Scelionidae family), that was facilitated by the active reproduction of their additional hosts, bugs from Pentatomidae family. Scelionidae infected 42.7–89.1% of the Eurygaster integriceps bug’s eggs, which indicated the possibility of cancelling any protective measures against this species. If to completely abandon chemical pesticides in winter wheat agrobiocenoses, natural populations of native species of entomophages play the main role in the regulation of the population of economically significant pests.
Keywords: winter wheat (Triticum durum Desf. 1930); dominant pests; entomophages; regulation of population; natural reproduction; technologies of organic plant growing.
Author Details: M. V. Pushnya, Cand. Sc. (Biol.), senior research fellow (e-mail: Этот адрес электронной почты защищён от спам-ботов. У вас должен быть включен JavaScript для просмотра.); E. Yu. Rodionova, junior research fellow; E. G. Snesareva, junior research fellow; V. Ya. Ismailov, Cand. Sc. (Biol.), head of the laboratory.
For citation: Pushnya MV, Rodionova EYu, Snesareva EG, et al. [The regulatory role of entomophages of dominant winter wheat pests in organic farming systems]. Dostizheniya nauki i tekhniki APK. 2020;34(7):49-55. Russian. doi: 10.24411/0235-2451-2020-10708.