Anti-pest protection of two-year old alfalfa grown for seeds

Purpose. To evaluate the effectiveness of different insecticides against pests on two-year old alfalfa grown for seeds. Materials and methods. The study was conducted in the experimental field of the Institute of Irrigated Agriculture of NAAS in 2017–2019. The filed experiments were laid out in split plots. The main plots (factor A) were for water supply conditions (no irrigation vs. irrigation); sub-plots (factors B and C) were for application of insecticides. Seeds were sown in wide rows with interrows of 70 cm. Results and discussion. When the two-year old alfalfa canopy (budding onset) was inspected before insecticide treatment, the average numbers of pests were as follows: alfalfa plant bug – 3.0 specimens/10 sweeps, alfalfa aphid – 20.0 specimens/10 sweeps, beet webworm – 3.0 specimens/10 sweeps, alfalfa weevil (imagoes/grubs) – 1.0/3.0 specimens/10 sweeps, and alfalfa seed weevil – 1.0 specimens/10 sweeps. Treatment 1 reduced the pest numbers in the canopy: alfalfa plant bug – by 70.0–93.3%, alfalfa aphid – by 93.0–97.5%, beet webworm – by 80.0–96.7, alfalfa weevil (imagoes/grubs) – by 60.0–90.0%/73.3–93.3%, and alfalfa seed weevil – by 76.0–94.0%, depending on the insecticide. Treatment 2 helped to reduce the pest numbers in the canopy. Insecticide containing active substances chlorpyrifos 500 g/L and cypermethrin 50 g/L applied at a dose of 1.00 L/ha was the most effective. The highest seed yield was achieved after treatment 1 with insecticide containing active ingredients chlorpyrifos 500 g/L and cypermethrin 50 g/L applied at a dose of 1.00 L/ha and treatment 2 with insecticide containing active ingredients chlorantraniliprole 200 g/L and lambda-cyhalothrin 50 g/L applied at a dose of 0.17 L/ha and 0.15 L/ha, respectively. Conclusions. The highest seed yield was achieved after treatment 1 with insecticide containing active ingredients chlorpyrifos 500 g/L and cypermethrin 50 g/L applied at a dose of 1.00 L/ha and treatment 2 with insecticide containing active ingredients chlorantraniliprole 200 g/L and lambda-cyhalothrin 50 g/L applied at a dose of 0.17 L/ha and 0.15 L/ha, respectively

Efficacy of some native entomopathogenic nematodes against the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and the lucerne beetle, Gonioctena fornicata (Brüggemann) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), adults under laboratory conditions

Background Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) have more important role in biological control of economic insect pests. The effect of native EPNs on adults of the lucerne beetle, Gonioctena fornicata (Brüggemann, 1873) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), and the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal, 1813) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), which are important alfalfa pests in Turkey and around the world, was investigated. Results Dose-mortality assays were carried out with 5 isolates [Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser, 1955) (Nematoda: Steinernematidae) (Black sea isolate), S. feltiae Filipjev, 1934 (isolate 09-31), Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar, 1976 (Nematoda: Heterorhabditidae) (isolate 09-43), H. bacteriophora Tokat-Songut, and S. carpocapsae Tokat-Ulas] using doses of 500, 1000, and 2000 IJs ml−1 under the laboratory conditions. Studies showed that all isolates had an effect 90% and more at 2000 IJs ml−1 and at the end of 112 h [except, H. bacteriophora (isolate 09-43) and H. bacteriophora Tokat-Songut isolates against H. postica]. In addition, LT30, LT50, and LT90 values at 1000 IJs ml−1 were determined. Conclusions According to the results, G. fornicata adults were susceptible to all isolates tested in the study and H. postica adults were susceptible to the isolates S. carpocapsae (Black sea isolate), S. feltiae (isolate 09-31), and S. carpocapsae Tokat-Ulas. This is the first study conducted in Turkey for the virulence of EPNs against G. fornicata and H. postica.

Resistance to the alfalfa weevil in the Iranian collection of Medicago sativa

The Iranian collection of Medicago sativa (alfalfa, 502 accessions) was evaluated under field conditions to identify variation in resistance to the alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica Gyllenhal) between accessions over 4 years. Twenty-one accessions were identified as resistant (score 3) to semi-resistant (score 5) based on K-means cluster analysis. These materials were grouped into 10 groups by means of Duncan's Multiple Range Test. Susceptibility to alfalfa weevil was significantly correlated with some of the agro-morphological traits such as plant height (r = 0.314, P<0.01), regrowth rate (r = 0.435, P<0.01) and fall dormancy score (r = 0.284, P<0.01). In general, the resistant germplasm originated from elevated regions at high latitudes, where a co-evolution between the plant and the pest may have taken place. Multiple regression analysis showed a positive linear relationship between susceptibility to the alfalfa weevil and traits such as growth habit, plant height, length and width of the central leaflet and regrowth rate. The resulting bi-plot based on factor analysis ranked accessions for susceptibility to the pest. The identified germplasm should prove useful in alfalfa breeding programs to develop accessions resistant to the alfalfa weevil.

Distribution of alfalfa weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and its parasitoids on the Canadian Prairies, with a key to described species of Nearctic Bathyplectes (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

This study recorded distribution and size of alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica (Gyllenhal); Coleoptera: Curculionidae) populations in Saskatchewan, Canada, from 2001 to 2014. The spread of alfalfa weevil across the province, originally southwest to southeast, was northward and westward during this time. By 2014, only northwestern and west central areas remained relatively alfalfa weevil free. From a minor pest in 2001, the alfalfa weevil increased to be the principal insect pest of alfalfa (Medicago sativa Linnaeus; Fabaceae) in 2014. The parasitoid Bathyplectes curculionis (Thomson) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) had a similar distribution. Other parasitoids collected included Oomyzus incertus (Ratzeburg) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and Microctonus colesi Drea (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Conservation of these parasitoids is an important step in maximising their effectiveness as alfalfa weevil biocontrol agents. Molecular sequencing of the DNA barcoding region of specimens identified morphologically as B. curculionis indicated moderately high levels of sequence divergence among specimens (up to 5.8%); however, interspecific genetic variation between other species of Bathyplectes Förster was also high. Therefore, we conclude that B. curculionis was the only Bathyplectes species collected in our study. An illustrated key to the described species of Bathyplectes in North America is provided, as well as DNA barcodes of most species, including five distinct barcodes in the Bathyplectes curculionis–B. exiguus (Gravenhorst) species complex.