Zbornik Matice srpske za prirodne nauke / Proc. Nat. Sci, Matica Srpska Novi Sad, ¥ 110, 21—38, 2006 UDC 633.63:632.9(477) Vitaly P. Fedorenko Institute of Plant Protection UAAS Vasylkivs'ka ST. 33, 03022 Jyio, Ukraine THE MOST IMPORTANT SUGAR BEET PESTS IN UKRAINE AND INTEGRAL MEASURES FOR THEIR CONTROL* ABSTRACT: The report delivers the origins of the insect complex formation on su- gar beet fields in Ukraine. Biological, ethological and ecological peculiarities of the most numerous pest species have been shown. Regularities of many-year dynamics of pests, the problems of phytosanitary state of agrocenosis of sugar beet fields and conceptual grounds of pest control in contemporary conditions have been substantiated. KEY WORDS: sugar beet, insect complex in sugar beet fields, population dynamics, pests, pest control, biological method of pest control, cultural practices, soil, homeostasis, biocenosis, agrobiocenosis, succession, pest resistance to plant genotypes, trophics, fecun- dity, forecast, adaptivity, ethology, ecology, ecosystem Since the great discovery in 1474 by Andreas Marggraf, history of impro- vement of sugar beet growing has had a relatively short period. Nevertheless, the grandiose efforts to change multi-tillering wild forms of Beta vulgaris L. into high-productive hybrids with a single tiller have been conducted. However, now on 258th year of commercial growing of sugar beet, nu- merous species of pest organisms lay obstacles for high yield of this crop. In Ukraine, where growing of the crops is of supreme importance, the dangers that the part of the pests pose are as serious as everywhere. In Ukrai- ne, commercial growing of sugar beet continues for more than 180 years. Over this period, areas under sugar beet fields have grown steadfastly (1). In these circumstances, the number of herbivores insects adapted to feeding on this crop has been ever-increasing. Now, the area growing sugar beet has been sta- bilized, reaching 900,000 ha over diverse soil-climatic zones. That is why the species composition of pest arthropods in sugar beet fields is widely heteroge- neous (2). * The paper was presented at the first scientific meeting IV INTERNATIONAL SYMPO- SIUM ON SUGAR BEET Protection held from 26—28 september 2005 in Novi Sad. 21 In agrobiocenosis of a sugar beet fields, 146 species of insects (Insecta) inhabiting the soil surface and 407 species in the stem stand have been disco- vered. The beetles (Coleoptera) dominate (195 species). The flies (Diptera) are numerous (71 species). The number of other species strains is as follows: suc- king insects — the bugs (Hemiptera), 68; the aphids (Homoptera), 27; the wasps (Hymenoptera), 29. The remaining strains are represented in the insigni- ficant number. On the soil surface, the participation of beetles (Coleoptera) is 77%. The following 22 families in decreasing order are: weevils (Curculionidae), le- af-beetles (Chysomelidae), carabids (Carabidae), lady-beetles (Coccinelidae), click-beetles (Elateridae) and others. In flies (Diptera), 24 families are known, including Bibionidae, Opomysidae, Syrphidae, Tupulida, and others. The bugs are presented by 10 families Miridae, Pentatomidae, Nabidae, Anthocaridae. Homeostasis of primary and secondary cenoses is characterized by diver- se levels of stability over time (in agrocenoses, the successions are limited by antropic factor), which exerts effect on species composition, constancy and di- stribution of insects in stations depending on ecological and especially trophic conditions. In natural cenoses, species diversity is nearly twice as high as comparing to that in agrocenoses, although in the latter, the biomass of insects is much lesser than that in the former. Primary cenoses are the main factors of mainte- nance of stable equilibrium in ecosystems of any level. Mini natural reserves serve as the best source of the stability. Also, the plots of limited agricultural management are useful for this aim. In such conditions, potential, sporadic and extremely dangerous pests of sugar beet have been formed. The number of such tiresome pest species is usually close to 40 items (3). Over the period of growing sugar beet in Ukraine, great many studies concerning biology of the pests and methods of their control have been conducted (Y. P. B ß å u k, 1971, Y. M. B r u n e r, 1947, E. M. V a s ß l ü › v, 1906, 1907, 1908, G. F . G a p o n o v a, 1959, O. N. Ÿ i t k e v i å, 1959, E. V. Z v e r o z o m b - - Z u b o v s ü k i ö, 1928, 1934, 1938, 1956, A. V. Z n a m e n s ü k i ö, 1926, A. ¡. Z r a ÿ e v s ü k i ö, 1959, E. M. K ß t ß c i n, 1959, Ö. Ö. K o r a b, 1927, 1930, M. O. K u z ü m ß n, 1936, ¡. V. L ß n d e m a n, 1928, 1929, 1930, K. A. O r l a å o v a, 1956, V. F. P a l ß ö, 1959, O. Ö. P e t r u h a, 1940, 1961, 1967, 1980, Z. M. S a v i c ü k a, 1968, G. Y. S o b o l ü, 1958, M. P. Åarkovsükiö, 1959). However, there are great many problems, which need new, non-ordinary solutions. They should be based on the systematic approach to understanding regularities of interrelations in fauna of pests and useful insects in agrobioce- nosis with the aim of developing ecologically directed methods of managing population dynamics, taking into account the protection of the environment from pollution (S. O. T r i b e l ü, 1989, V. T. S a b l u k, 1989, V. A. S a - n ß n, 1971, V. P. F e d o r e n k o, 1998). Now, phytosanitary situation in Ukraine gets worse which is the result of a number of factors, in particular slow reforming of agriculture. This resulted in the increase in density of pests and negative processes in agrobiocenoses that will lead to non-predictable successions. 22 Therefore, concerning the organization of phytosanitary monitoring, it is necessary to take into account a number of factors, including contemporary economical reality, global warming, abnormal weather changes, adaptation of insects to new trophic conditions, the appearance of resistant genotypes, inten- sive translocation of dominants in cell nucleus of pests and useful insects, the disturbance of crop rotation. These factors determine the increase in dangers caused by the part of pests. Only by taking into account all these factors, it is possible to improve and develop contemporary system of protective measures against pest orga- nisms. MATERIAL AND METHODS The material was collected in all the zones in Ukraine where sugar beet is grown. The tests were of diverse character: laboratory, greenhouse, separate fi- eld and farm (full-scale). They were conducted in the zone of the Central Fo- rest-Steppe in Ukraine (V. P. F e d o r e n k o, 1998). Studies of insect complex were conducted in sugar beet agrobiocenoses within the beet rotation and in adjacent cenoses (fallows, forest edges, shel- terbelts, ravines) according to the methods of the Institute of Sugar Beet of UAAS (O. P., P e t r u h a, 1969, 1976a,O.Ö.Petruha,A.P.Bu- t o v s k i ö, G. E. S o b o l ü, 1981, V. P. F e d o r e n k o, 1985). In doing so, the soil surface (on square meter plots) under plants covering the edges of shelterbelts and forests were observed in 15 points of the field. In fields of inter-tilled crops, the evaluations were conducted on 100 plants distributed by 10 pierces in 10 points of the field. Population density was recorded by counting insect number or by means of evaluating in numeric scores. Also, 100 wages by a sweep net were used. Density of flea beetles was counted on 25 x 25 cm plots with the Pet- lyuk's box. Barber's soil traps improved by V. P. F e d o r e n k o (1997) were used for counting soil insects. Density of Atomaria linearis Steph. beetle was counted by means of the special four-angle probe — collector 10 x 10 x 10 cm in dimensions. During season, the density of the pests was counted in diverse layers of the soil. In doing so, a cylindrical soil auger with 11.28 cm diameter was used. The soil-dwelling pests were counted by soil excavations by digging 50 x 50 x 50 cm pits. Density of beet root aphid was counted by taking soil samples with colo- nies of the aphid. The samples were washed by water. Distribution of the ap- hid along soil layers was studied at following depths: 0—5, 6—15, 16—25, 26—40, 41—60, 61—80, 81—100, 101—120, 121—130 cm. Density of Tanimecus beetle was counted by soil excavations at the following depths: 0—15, 16—30, 31—45, 46—60, 61—80, 81—100, 101— 120, 121—140, 141—160 cm and more. Within each of the above depths, a 2 cm soil layer was taken for counting the beetles. Dimensions of the pits were 100 x 100 cm. 23 The effect of toxity of host-plants on fecundity of Tanimecus beetle was studied by rearing of the insects in cages of glass jars. The bottom of the jars was filled with sand, which had been screened through a sieve with 0.5 mm cells in diameter. This diameter was less than that of eggs of the beetle.