The abundances of two pests, pollen beetle (Brassicogethes aeneus (Fabricius, 1775)) and cabbage seed weevil (Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham, 1802)), were measured before flowering and in the full bloom of oilseed rape cultivars with different phenologies (two yellow-flowering: DK Exssence (the earliest), DK Sensei (the latest) and one white-flowering in time between yellow-flowering cultivars), and the differences in their abundance in the selected cultivars were determined in plot experiments during 2015–2018. No significant differences in pollen beetle and cabbage seed weevil occurrence were observed between the cultivars in the pre-flowering period, but during flowering, the two yellow-flowering cultivars were more attractive than the white-flowering cultivar for both pests. In the white-flowering cultivar, 57% and 69% reductions in the pollen beetle and cabbage seed weevil populations, respectively, were found relative to the two with yellow flowers. Thus, the use of white-flowering cultivar (less attractive, later flowering) as the main crop and the yellow-flowering cultivar (more attractive, earlier flowering) at field edges, with the width of the one-track line, could serve as a strategy to manage oilseed rape pests during flowering. This control strategy which combines more and less attractive oilseed rape cultivars may contribute to a reduction in the use of pesticides and their negative impact on the environment.
A simple and efficient protocol for micropropagation of Incarvillea delavayi (Bignoniaceae), an ornamental plant from China, was developed in this study. As initial plant material, adventitious shoots were used. Effect of 0, 0.1, 0.5 and 1 mg l-1 BAP in half-strength MS medium on shoot multiplication was studied. For rooting, 0.1 and 0.3 mg l-1 NAA were tested. The highest shoot number (8.60 ± 0.78 shoots per explant) and plant height (5.50 ± 0.31 cm) were obtained on medium supplemented with 1 mg l-1 BAP. The shoots optimally rooted on medium with addition of 0.3 mg l-1 NAA (8.48 ± 0.51 roots per shoot; root length 1.64 ± 0.18 cm). Well rooted plants were transferred ex vitro. Eight weeks after ex vitro transfer, 62.5% plants survived. The protocol optimized here, can be used for large-scale propagation of ornamental plant I. delavayi.
After the ban on treating oilseed rape seeds with neonicotinoids in European Union, cabbage stem flea beetles (Psylliodes chrysocephala Linnaeus, 1758) again became one of its main pests. In Czechia, the impact of this pest increases every year, given with the narrowing spectrum of suitable insecticides and growing damage to oilseed rape plants in autumn. Based on this scenario, it is appropriate to look for alternative options to control oilseed rape pests. One option could be supporting beneficial organisms. One of these organisms is the hymenopteran braconid parasitoid Microctonus brassicae (Haeselbarth, 2008), which parasitizes adult cabbage stem flea beetles. Its occurrence has now been confirmed outside Great Britain in Czechia and continental Europe respectively. Five male specimens of M. brassicae emerged from 50 collected adults of cabbage stem flea beetle by sweep netting from two localities in central Bohemia. This parasitoid of adult cabbage stem flea beetles and its larval parasitoids probably play an important role in the life cycle and population dynamics of this pest. Current knowledge about the biology, taxonomic classification and identification of this parasitoid is summarized in this paper.
Type specimens from the collection of Hymenoptera deposited in the Department of Entomology, National Museum, Prague are currently being catalogued. In this part of the catalogue dealing with the family Braconidae, we present precise information about 27 taxa belonging to the subfamilies Brachistinae (1 species), Cheloninae (1 species), Doryctinae (1 species), Euphorinae (2 species), Gnamptodontinae (1 species), Lysiterminae (1 species), Microgastrinae (2 species), Opiinae (15 species) and Orgilinae (3 species), including holotypes of 20 species. Current status, distribution, and photos are given for each taxon. Additionally, one missing type and one historically important specimen are mentioned in the catalogue with detailed information about them.
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