Surveys of pest incidence on oil‐seed rape in south central England

Abstract

SUMMARYSurveys of pest incidence on oil‐seed rape in the south of England in 6 yr have shown that Meligethes aeneus can cause a considerable loss of pods on some fields. There is some evidence that control measures are often applied too late to obtain the best results; preliminary observations on the probable effect on yield are also presented. Ceuthorhynchus assimilis was recorded on the majority of fields with an average of 19% pods infested on spring‐sown rape. Very heavy pod infestations were found on farms where rape had been grown regularly for some years. Dasyneura brassicae is at present not an important pest with an average of less than 1% pods infested. However, in each year infestations of up to 11% pod attack were recorded on a few fields.