Journal of Pest Science (2011) 84, 133-142

Márk Szalai, Judit Papp Komáromi, Renata Bazok, Jasminka Igrc Barcic, József Kiss and Stefan Toepfer (2011)
Generational growth rate estimates of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera populations (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)
Journal of Pest Science 84 (1), 133-142
Abstract: Modelling population dynamics of the maize pest Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (western corn rootworm; Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) requires knowledge on the growth rate (=net reproductive rate) of the species. We investigated the generational (=annual) growth rate of D. v. virgifera in isolated maize fields in southern Hungary and eastern Croatia over several years. The population densities of D. v. virgifera were assessed by absolute counts of emerging adults in 90 gauze cages per study field. Emergence ranged from 1.3 to 30.7 adults per m² in continuous maize field sections, and from 0.3 to 5.1 adults per m² in adjacent first-year maize sections. The annual growth rates of D. v. virgifera ranged from 0.5 to 13, and averaged in close to 4. These experimentally assessed growth rates could complement growth estimates in population dynamic models, particularly those for forecasting the population growth to economic thresholds or for estimating population build-ups after new introductions of this alien species in Europe. As an example, the determined growth rate was used to estimate that the first documented successful introduction of this species into Europe occurred between 1979 and 1984, which is 8-13 years before the detection of this species and its larval damage in maize fields near Belgrade, Serbia, in 1992.
(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): Stefan Toepfer, Jozsef Kiss

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
population dynamics/ epidemiology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Diabrotica virgifera	Maize/corn (Zea mays)	Croatia
	Diabrotica virgifera	Maize/corn (Zea mays)	Hungary
	Diabrotica virgifera	Maize/corn (Zea mays)	Serbia