The Effect of Chemical and Biological Control on the Western Corn Rootworm Larvae (Diabrotica Virgifera Virgifera Leconte) in Field Trials

Vörös, Levente and Ábrahám, Rita and Enzsöl, Erzsébet (2020) The Effect of Chemical and Biological Control on the Western Corn Rootworm Larvae (Diabrotica Virgifera Virgifera Leconte) in Field Trials. ACTA AGRONOMICA ÓVÁRIENSIS, 61 (2). pp. 53-72. ISSN 1416-647X

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Abstract

The western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) is one of the most important harmful corn pests in Hungary, currently it is essential to control both larvae and imagos in monoculture cultivation. The control of larvae is costly and the use of large quantities of soil disinfectants places an increased burden on the environment. Since 2018, the European Union has been extracting more and more active substances, so the number of insecticides that can be used against larvae has greatly decreased, thus increasing the value of environmentally friendly biological products that provide effective protection. In our experiments, in 2018, we compared the larval killing effect of Force 1.5 G (tefluthrin) soil disinfectant and Poncho pro (clothianidin) seed coating under field conditions. We examined whether the efficiency of more cost-effective, easier-to-treat dressing achieves the results produced by the more expensive soil disinfectant. Force 1.5 G soil disinfectant was applied at a rate of 12 kg / ha and Poncho pro (clothianidin) was applied to the seed surface at a dose of 1.25 mg. After the approval of the seed coating with neonicotionoid in bread was revoked, in 2019 we started to study the larvalicidal effect of a biological procedure (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora entomopathogenic nematode). We wondered if this biological product could take up the fight against the larvae of the American corn borer, whether it could achieve the effectiveness of the commonly used Force 1.5 G (tefluthrin) soil disinfectant. In the 2019 experiment, the dose of soil disinfectant was the same as in the previous year, the nematodes were applied in 2 doses, the lower dose was 2 billion / ha and the higher dose was 3 billion / ha. The experiments were carried out in Győr-Moson-Sopron county on the border of Gyömöre village on a large field plot, in 4 replicates. In the evaluation of the experiment, the plants were excavated with a 20x20 cm earth ball, the larval counts were recorded, and then the roots were washed and the value of root retention was determined using the modified Iowa scale. Data were evaluated by statistical analysis. We found that each experimental material significantly reduced the number of rootworms compared to the control. Root damage caused by larves remained below the economic threshold (modified IOWA scale: 3.5). The larvicidal effect of insect pathogenic nematodes is practically the same as that of tefluthrin, no verifiable difference was found between their effects.

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