Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2018
The effects of reduced tillage and earlier seeding on flea beetle (Phyllotreta spp.) crop damage in spring oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.)
Lundin, Ola; Myrbeck, Asa; Bommarco, RiccardoAbstract
The restriction on seed treatments containing neonicotinoid insecticides in the European Union has brought crop protection into focus for oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.). In spring sown oilseed rape, neonicotinoid seed treatments have mainly been used for protection against flea beetles (Phyllotreta spp.), and there is now a need to evaluate alternative control methods. We investigated the effect of reduced tillage and altered seeding date on flea beetle crop damage in spring oilseed rape in eight field experiments over three years in south central Sweden. The average proportion of cotyledon area damaged by flea beetles was not affected by the tillage treatment. Proportion of crop damage was, however, lower in early seeded compared to late seeded plots (0.21 compared to 0.28). We conclude that earlier seeding holds promise to be incorporated into an integrated pest management program for flea beetles in spring oilseed rape, whereas further research on reduced or zero tillage strategies for flea beetle control is warranted.Keywords
Integrated pest management; Non-inversion tillage; Neonicotinoids; CanolaPublished in
Crop Protection2018, volume: 107, pages: 104-107
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD
Authors' information
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ecology
Myrbeck, Åsa
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Soil and Environment
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Ecology
Associated SLU-program
SLU Network Plant Protection
UKÄ Subject classification
Agricultural Science
Publication Identifiers
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2017.10.019
URI (permanent link to this page)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/94602