Western corn rootworm Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte – is a dangerous quarantine pest (review)

• Published in: Zernovoe hozâjstvo Rossii (Online) no. 5; pp. 98 - 104
• Main Authors: Pushnya, M. V., Snesareva, E. G., Balakhnina, I. V., Ponomarev, A. V., Ermakov, Ya. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Russian
• Published: Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution “Agricultural Research Center “Donskoy” 16.11.2022
• Subjects: corn rootworm; harmfulness; maize; maize protection means; monitoring; phytophage
• ISSN: 2079-8725; 2079-8733
• DOI: 10.31367/2079-8725-2022-82-5-98-104

Maize (Zéa máys) is one of the main grain crops in the world, including Russia. One of its most dangerous pests is the western corn rootworm Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, 1858 (western corn rootworm (wcr)), which is an invasive species in many countries. Therefore, the most important task of researchers involved in the prediction of phytophages and the development of plant protection is to prevent its occurrence in Russia, which includes constant monitoring and quarantine measures. The current study was carried out to overview the literature, revealing the characteristics of biology, the prevalence of the corn rootworm in the world, and to determine effective methods of dealing with it, including methods of biological control. There has been established that over the past 30 years the pest has spread throughout almost all of Europe, and since 2011 it has been registered in Russia. To a large extent, the spread of the rootworm was facilitated by the growing globalization and trade between the countries in the absence of appropriate control measures, as well as high potential fertility and the ability for large flights in the imaginal stage. There has been established that significant damage from diabrotics is explained by the fact that almost all stages of development (imago and larvae of all ages) are harmful in phytophages, damaging almost all organs of the plant. There has been revealed that the most successful is the prediction of the number of D. v. virgifera using pheromone traps, and control measures include the use of various chemical plant protection products and crop rotations. There has been shown that the biomethod against D. v. virgifera is practically not used. The available data allowed us to conclude that it is possible to prevent the spread of the pest in the Russian Federation with strict observance of quarantine measures.