Evaluating locally sourced inert dusts as insecticides against the cereal leaf beetle (Oulema melanopus [L.]; Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) : a combined laboratory and field study

Batistič, Luka (author), Vučajnk, Filip (author), Vidrih, Matej (author), Horvat, Aleksander (author), Košir, Iztok Jože (author), Šilc, Urban (author), Bohinc, Tanja (author), Trdan, Stanislav (author)

The Cereal Leaf Beetle (CLB), Oulema melanopus [L.], poses a major threat to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production, worsened by insecticide resistance and changing EU pesticide regulations. In 2023, we conducted laboratory and field trials to evaluate five inert dusts (diatomaceous earth, quartz sand, Ailanthus altissima dust, Norway spruce wood ash, and zeolite) against all CLB life stages. We assessed pest abundance, wheat damage index, wheat yield, and grain quality. In the lab, diatomaceous earth was highly effective (96%–100%), followed by Norway spruce wood ash (70.4%–96.7%). Field efficacy was hampered by wet weather, affecting dust applications, although the positive control was effective except against CLB eggs. By the last sampling date, damage indices for diatomaceous earth, A. altissima dust, and wood ash treatments ranged from 3.87 to 4.12, lower than the negative control (4.75 ± 0.02) but higher than the positive control (2.88 ± 0.35). Wheat yield was consistent across all treatments (~5 tons), except for the negative control (4.2 ± 0.86 tons) and A. altissima dust (3.9 ± 0.47 tons). Grain quality showed no significant differences. Our study highlights the potential of various inert dusts against CLB, though wet weather limits their field effectiveness, requiring more applications. Further research is needed to develop practical, sustainable CLB management strategies.

• Language: English
• Keywords: cereal leaf beetle, inert dusts, laboratory and field trial, abundance, wheat damage index, wheat yield, alternative control methods
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 23 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 10, no. 1, art. 2415393
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-164270
• UDC: 632
• ISSN on article: 2331-1932
• DOI: 10.1080/23311932.2024.2415393
• COBISS.SI-ID: 212079107
• Publication date in RUL: 18.10.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Cogent food & agriculture
• Shortened title: Cogent food agric.
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 2331-1932
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523038233

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: varstvo rastlin, alternativne metode varstva, inertni prahovi, pšenica, pridelek

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: L4-3178
• Name: Razvoj in optimizacija nekemičnih načinov zatiranja rastlinskih škodljivcev z namenom njihove implementacije v sisteme trajnostnega kmetijstva

• Funder: Other - Other funder or multiple funders
• Funding programme: Slovenian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food