Entomological Sensors for Conservation Technologies of Crop Cultivation in Field Crop Rotations of the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

Abstract

In 2010-2022, in the field crop rotations of the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, using the latest chemicals, the peculiarities of biology, ecology and distribution of soil and other harmful arthropod species were clarified. In particular, the technologies for the production of high-quality grain through the use of tank mixtures of plant protection products and relatively high rates of fertilizers influenced the formation of the structure of the entomocomplex with the prevalence of certain species of grasshoppers, blackflies, scoopers and plateworms. According to the phenophases of cultivated plants, this feature was accompanied by both the state of bioresources and crop production technologies in general with the optimisation of phytosanitary, environmental and economically sound resource-saving methods of phytophage number control. It has been established that in cultural ecosystems with intensive technologies as part of modern biological resources, the number of organisms, both flora and fauna, in particular, harmful insect phytophages, changes significantly in the early stages of formation and development of grain crops. During the years of observation, it was noted that the biodiversity of agrocenoses is quite numerous in terms of species and quantity, mainly against the background of organic-mineral systems and under conditions of relatively low rates of fertiliser application. This makes it possible to model such processes using entomological and zoological objects as sensors, in particular from the standpoint of systematic monitoring and forecasting, as well as sustainable management on a resource-saving basis. At the same time, the long-term dynamics of the factors of entomocomplexes formation was taken into account, with the influence of basic and fractional feeding systems, soil cultivation and measures to protect cereals and other crops being clarified, and the dominant species were identified from the theological point of view. Based on the results of the research, some biocenotic relationships of cultivated plants and their pests under different nutrition systems of wheat, corn, soybeans, chickpeas, sunflower in periods of drought and relatively optimal weather conditions were clarified, with the levels of trophic chains of primary and secondary cenoses determined. The structure of arthropods under the latest systems of liquid fertiliser application was clarified, as well as the impact of tank mixtures of agrochemicals on the migration and survival of phytophagous insects in short rotation crop rotations was assessed. The new parameters of grain crop protection systems with biologically oriented complexes based on entomological and zoological test objects of the factors of crop production intensification are substantiated.