The effects of chemical control used against males of Diabrotica virgifera LeConte in maize in southern Poland in 2011–2012

Abstract

Summary. The study was carried out in 2011-2012 in Sławików, southern Poland, on a maize crop monoculture. Diabrotica virgifera males were controlled with insecticides containing active ingredients: acetamiprid, dimethoate, indoxacarb, lambda-cyhalothrin, methaflumizon, thiacloprid and thiacloprid with deltamethrin. The optimum dates of beetle control were established by using PAL pheromone traps from Csalomon ® company. Plants were sprayed once or twice with the investigated insecticides during the peak of beetle population in the second half of August. All investigated active ingredients effectively reduced the pest population, usually within 7 days of plant spraying. The second chemical treatment effectively reduced the pest population for a further 7 days.