• • • Effect of entomofauna on alfalfa productivity in forest-steppe of the Samara Region
The research aimed at testing the entomofauna effect on alfalfa productivity at various developmental stages in the Samara region. It took place at Volga Agricultural Research Institute n. a. P.N. Konstantinov. The highest number of invertebrates occurred in young stands of alfalfa in 2011. Alfalfa agrocenoses contained respective pests: Bruchophagus roddi, Tychius flavus, Sitona spp., Adelphocoris lineolatus, larvae of Heliothis viriplaca and Phytonomus transsylvanicus. Pests were related to polyphage and gramineous oligophage, as well as to entomophage: Coccinellidae, several spider species and Tettigoniidae. Alfalfa population 4 had the best leaf coverage. Variety “Kuybyshevskaya” had lower green mass yield. Alfalfa age had significant negative effect on green mass productivity. Variety “Gyuzel” was more resistant to age effect. Seed productivity was mostly dependant on crop age than on variety. In 2011 alfalfa agrocenoses yielded 3.6–4.7 times more seeds than the sowings of 2008. Low oligophage concentration (10–24 specimens per 10 net sweeps) resulted in increase in green mass and seed yield due to insignificant crop damage. Higher number of specialized pests reduced crop yield capacity.
Source: https://kormoproizvodstvo.ru/en/9-2017-2/, p. 24
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