International Journal of Pest Management (2015) 61, 312-319

Luule Metspalu, Eve Veromann, Riina Kaasik, Gabriella Kovacs, Ingrid Helvi Williams and Marika Mänd (2015)
Comparison of sampling methods for estimating the abundance of Meligethes aeneus on oilseed crops
International Journal of Pest Management 61 (4), 312-319
Abstract: Meligethes aeneus, the pollen beetle, is a major pest of cruciferous oilseed crops in Europe. Two sampling methods for estimating the abundance of pollen beetle adults on Brassica napus, B. nigra, B. juncea, Sinapis alba were compared: beating plants over a tray and yellow water traps (YWT). The dynamics of beetle abundance at different plant growth stages and in different weather conditions was investigated in 2010 and 2011. Abundance was significantly greater in samples collected by beating than in the YWT. Beetle dynamics differed significantly with the sampling method. Beating caught most beetles during the green–yellow growth stage of plants; after that, their number decreased substantially. The number of beetles sampled by the YWT also fluctuated and, in addition, reflected the abundance of the new generation. The density of pollen beetles in different crop plants was not uniform; the beating method caught most in S. alba whereas YWT caught most in B. nigra. We conclude that the beating method is effective as an early warning system for growers whereas YWT are more effective for long-term continuous monitoring of pollen beetles.
(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): Luule Metspalu, Eve Veromann, Gabriella Kovács

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Brassicogethes aeneus	Rape/canola (Brassica napus)	Estonia