Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Natural resistance of ten cabbage genotypes to cabbage moth (Mamestra brassicae [L.]) attack under field conditions

Author(s):

Marko Devetak, Tanja Bohinc, Stanislav Trdan *

Recieved Date: 2013-05-22, Accepted Date: 2013-10-19

Abstract:

The field test in the period 2010 – 2011 in Ljubljana (Slovenia) studied the extent of injuries in five cabbage cultivars and five hybrids which were caused by the first-generation caterpillars of the cabbage moth (Mamestra brassicae) on leaves (feeding tracks) and on heads (mining holes), as well as the yield of the studied genotypes, in order to determine genotype(s) which display the greatest natural resilience to the harmful pest and are for this reason most appropriate for use in environmentally acceptable systems of this vegetable production. In each of the four blocks, one-half of the plants was in both years intensively (7 times in 2010 and 5 times in 2011) treated with insecticides, while the other half of the plants was not sprayed. When assessing the injuries on the cabbage leaves at the same intervals among the three early (the growth period between 55 and 70 days), the three mid-early (80 – 90 days) and the three mid-late (110 – 140 days) genotypes, we detected no major differences, while higher average injuries on the cultivars’ leaves (when all assessments were considered) was attributed to their longer growth period – the plants were exposed to larger and more damaging first-generation caterpillars for a longer period of time. The heads of the plants treated with insecticides were considerably less damaged by the caterpillars in both years than the heads of the plants which had been not been treated, while the highest number of holes in the heads were detected in the early and mid-early genotypes. By applying insecticides, we in the first year managed to reduce the number of holes below the acceptable, which is one hole per head, while in the second year, it was reduced to less than two holes per head in the majority of the plants. The little injuries in the heads of the mid-late genotypes were the result of the way the heads were forming during the period, when the second-generation caterpillars had not yet appeared at the research location. The heads of the cabbage plants treated with insecticides were in most cases heavier than the untreated plants, while the most extensive crop failure (30 – 40%) was in both years observed in two genotypes whose heads were not heavily attacked by the studied caterpillars, yet their leaves were more injured. The results presented in this paper can present a reliable foundation for future research into the factors affecting the plant’s resilience to attacks of the cabbage moth caterpillars, which are in precipitous years an increasingly significant biotic factor hindering cabbage production.

Keywords:

Cabbage moth, Mamestra brassicae, injuries, yield loss, cabbage, genotypes, varieties, hybrids, insecticides, natural resistance

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2013
Volume: 11
Issue: 3&4
Category: Agriculture
Pages: 908-914

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