WIREWORMS AND THE SUGAR‐BEET CROP: FIELD TRIALS AND OBSERVATIONS

Abstract

Observations on wireworms in the sugar‐beet crop during 1937–40 indicated the importance of alternative food, such as buried turf, weeds, excess seedlings and interdrilled wheat in determining the degree of injury to the crop.In 1938, out of thirty‐six recorded fields growing sugar beet after ploughed‐up grass only one suffered severe wireworm damage. Six of these fields were selected for resowing with sugar beet in 1939, and all suffered moderate or severe attacks. Several other fields in their first year from grass showed only slight damage. These observations were supported by an analysis of the Norfolk War Agricultural Committee crop records for 1940.Seven trials were carried out in 1939 to determine the effect of increasing the seed rate from normal (about 14–16 lb./acre) to 17–25 lb., and of interdrilling with wheat. In three trials, increasing the seed rate gave significantly higher plant populations before singling. It gave significant increases after singling in one out of two trials. However, in the one trial harvested the increase in ‘washed beet’ was only 7.6% and ‘total sugar’ 15%. Interdrilling with wheat at 40–70 lb./acre gave significant increases in the plant population before singling in three out of five trials, and after singling in three out of four trials. Increased plant populations both before and after singling were obtained in two other trials with alternating treatments. Increased seed rate and interdrilled wheat together gave greatly improved plant populations before singling in each of two trials and after singling in the one trial where such an observation was possible.