Cruciferous plants' use as biofumigants in potato against wireworms

Abstract

In Slovenia, only tefluthrin is registered for controlling wireworms. In order to investigate the potential alternatives for controlling wireworms in potato, the field experiment was conducted in the period from 2011 (year 1) to 2012 (year 2). As alternatives, different Brassica crops (year 1: rapeseed, oilseed radish and white mustard; year 2: rapeseed, oilseed radish, oilseed rape, kale and white mustard) were tested (fresh foliage was incorporated into the soil by ploughing) for their biofumigant effect. Results of our investigation showed that in both years the potato yield was affected by measures of pest control; however, none of the tested biofumigant plants proved to be a potentially promising candidate in wireworm control. The rapid release of volatiles after plant chopping before and during incorporation into the soil could be the reason of inefficacy in our experiment. In our study, most wireworm damage occurred on biggest potato tubers. Moreover, edge effect of the field played an important role in our experiment in year 1. Treatment (chemical or biological) of wireworms only at the edge part of the field could offer a cost-effective, time-saving and environmentally more friendly way of controlling studied pest organism.