Dominant species of radish (Raphanus sativus (L.) convar. radicula (Pers) Sazon.) pests in the Right Bank Forest Steppe of Ukraine

Abstract

Based on the results of phytosanitary monitoring (2008–2022), the species composition of pests in agroecosystems of radish (Raphanus sativus (L.) convar. radicula (Pers) Sazon.) in the central part of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine has been specified. In radish crops, 59 species of phytophagous insects, two species of nematodes, and one species of slugs were identified. The harmful entomocomplex structure includes insects from 20 families of 8 orders. Representatives of the orders Coleoptera (17 species), Lepidoptera (16 species), and Homoptera (9 species) dominate the taxonomic structure, collectively occupying 71% in the structure of the harmful entomocomplex. Representatives of the orders Diptera and Orthoptera were presented by species from 6 and 5 families, respectively, and in the entomocomplex structure, they occupied 10% and 8%, respectively. The least species diversity was found for the order Thysanoptera, Hemiptera, and Hymenoptera, which collectively occupied 10% in the structure of the harmful entomocomplex. Sixteen constant species were identified (Plutella maculipennis Curt., Phyllotreta cruciferae Goeze, Phyllotreta undulata Kutsch., Pieris brassicae L., Agrotis segetum Denis&Schiff., Lacanobia oleracea L., Eurydema ventralis Kol., Brevicoryne brassicae L., Delia brassicae Bouche, Athalia rosae L., Delia platura Mg., Ceutorrhynchus quadridens Panz., Delia floralis Fallen, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, Entomoscelis adonidis Pallas, Evergestis extimalis Scop.), which caused significant damage to radish plants throughout the vegetation period. These species were trophically specialized, with 75% being oligophagous and 81% being phytophagous. Flea beetles such as Phyllotreta cruciferae Goeze, Phyllotreta undulata Kutsch., diamondback moth (Plutella maculipennis Curt.), cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae L.), turnip moth (Agrotis segetum Denis&Schiff.), and armyworm (Lacanobia oleracea L.) were found with high and medium frequencies in the studied agroecosystems, with population densities reaching maximum levels of 60–100% in some years.