BioControl (2017) 62, 29-38

Gabriella Kovács, Riina Kaasik, Tanel Kaart, Luule Metspalu, Anne Luik and Eve Veromann (2017)
In search of secondary plants to enhance the efficiency of cabbage seed weevil management
BioControl 62 (1), 29-38
Abstract: The infestation rate and parasitoid communities of Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) were assessed on seven spring sown brassicaceous plant species to find potential secondary plants that might help increase the parasitism rates of this serious oilseed pest. Over the three-year study, the average infestation rate of pods by C. obstrictus remained below 10 % for each plant species. Despite the low pest abundance, C. obstrictus was parasitized by hymenopteran parasitoids on all plant species, except on Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa ((Mill.) Thell.). Parasitism rates were remarkably high: between 33.7 and 70.8 % on average and peaked at 94.7 % on Raphanus sativus (L.) var. oleiformis (Pers.). Not only was the parasitism rate high on R. sativus, but it also had a different parasitoid species composition consisting mainly of egg parasitoids (Mymaridae), while on the other plant species larval parasitoids (Pteromalidae) dominated. These findings are important for planning new sustainable pest management approaches.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Gabriella Kovács, Eve Veromann, Luule Metspalu

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
environment - cropping system/rotation
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution
environment/habitat manipulation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Ceutorhynchus obstrictus		Estonia
Trichomalus perfectus (parasitoid)	Ceutorhynchus obstrictus
Mesopolobus morys (parasitoid)	Ceutorhynchus obstrictus