Abstract
Orange wheat blossom midge damage can impart serious loss of quantity and quality of winter wheat. Wheat midges were evaluated in large scale field in winter wheat in Bad Lausick (Leipzig, Saxsony) central Germany. The present study aimed at studying the activity of wheat blossom midges WBM, Sitodiplosis mosellana (G,hin) and Contarinia tritici (Kirby) using pheromone, sticky traps and two types of water traps. Management of midges with different treatments was studied; Karate (pyrethroid), Biscaya (neonicotinoid) and NeemAzal T/S (botanical insecticide) were sprayed on wheat at heading stage (GS 55). Monitoring was conducted before the treatment and continued for 4 weeks after the treatment. Pheromone traps were used for forecasting midge adult population and determine the control date. Water traps were used to assess midge larvae, while midge adults were surveyed using sticky traps.
A strong correlation between midge catches and weather conditions was obtained; as well a coincidence between pheromone catches and wheat midge infestation in the susceptible growth stages (GS 47-65) was recorded. Insecticide applications to fields of midge-infested winter wheat significantly reduced the wheat midge damage. There were significant differences in wheat midge numbers between treated and untreated; wheat midge numbers were lower in the treated than in control. The results proved that both Karate and Biscaya caused more mortality to wheat midges than NeemAzal T/S.