Influence of Different Tillage Systems on Abundance and Dynamics of Pests in Maize Crop

 Adina Daniela Tărău¹, Felicia Mureşanu³, Ana Maria Vălean¹, Florin Russu¹, Laura Şopterean¹, Felicia Cheţan¹, Loredana Suciu², Camelia Urdă¹

¹Staţiunea de Cercetare-Dezvoltare Agricolă Turda

²Universitatea de Agricultură şi Medicină Veterinară Cluj-Napoca

³Academia de Ştiinţe Agricole şi Silvice „Gheorghe Ionescu-Şişeşti” Bucureşti

Keywords: pests, maize, tillage systems, pheromones, abundance and dynamics.

Abstract: Air pollution, avoiding soil compaction, conserving soil water reserves and reducing farm inputs are just some of the factors that have contributed to new studies regarding maize cultivation technology. In order to evaluate the influence of different tillage systems on abundance and dynamics of pests in maize crop, at Research and Development Station for Agriculture Turda (ARDS Turda) research has been done on estimation the insect populations in these systems. The compared tillage systems were: conventional tillage system (plowing) and minimum tillage system (with chisel). The research consisted of observations and determinations on the monitoring, abundance and dynamics of the most common species pests of maize crop: western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte), silver Y (Autographa gamma L.) and turnip moth (Agrotis segetum Den. & Schiff.). Pheromone variants were replaced every four weeks and the adhesive plate every two weeks. The number of males trapped was recorded weekly. The pests monitoring, with economically importance for maize crop, was evaluated using F-1 pheromone traps, with synthetic sex pheromones (atraGAM- 9, atraSEG-21 and atraVIRG). By minimizing the tillage system, there has been an increase in the pest population, especially in Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte.
An almost perfect synchronization of the first generation with the optimal threshold of specific temperatures for insect biology was observed in the three monitored species. These mechanisms formed over the course of evolution and have imposed permanent adaptations of insects to climate changes.
Experimental data reveals that the thermal regime, as expected, has a more important influence on the dynamics of these pests.