2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Cabbage aphids are found literally everywhere. Cabbage, turnips, rutabagas, radishes - this is not a complete list of her taste preferences. This pest is especially harmful and numerous in the second half of the summer season. As a result of its mass reproduction in the southern part of Russia, yield losses of late varieties of cabbage can sometimes be from 65 to 90 percent. The presence of such an enemy on the site is a reason to immediately begin to fight him
A few words about the pest
Female cabbage aphids are wingless, winged and amphigonous. The size of wingless individuals is approximately 1.8 - 2.0 mm. Their ovoid body has a pale green color, and the top is covered with pollen of a pleasant white-gray color. Above, on the abdomen of the parasite, you can see transverse stripes of a brown shade. The legs of black-eyed females of this species are brown. Winged females reach 1, 5 - 2, 2 mm in length. Their bodies are covered with gray pollen; legs, breast, antennae and head are brownish, and transverse brown stripes are located on the yellow-green abdomen. Light amphigonic females 1, 7 - 2, 0 mm long are characterized by the absence of waxy pollen, and their legs and tail are light brown.
As for the males of cabbage aphids, these individuals are endowed with wings and reach 1, 4 - 1, 8 mm in length. Their tail is yellow, and the antennae are black.
The eggs of the pests, about 0.5 mm in size, have a light black color and an elongated oval shape. Eggs are overwintered on cobs and testes, as well as on weeds from the numerous cabbage family. The larvae hatch usually in April, when the temperature reaches 11-13 degrees. Four molts later, after about 10 to 16 days, these larvae transform into wingless adult females giving birth to 40 to 50 new larvae without fertilization.
The pests spend the first half of summer on the same vegetation on which the eggs overwintered. The end of May - the beginning of June is the time for the appearance of winged females, already moving to cabbage and other cabbage plants and giving birth to larvae there (also without fertilization). One growing season can accommodate 8-10 to 16 generations of cabbage aphids.
Aphid larvae suck sap from plants, introducing into them the enzymes of their saliva. As a result, the amount of vitamins, sugars and chlorophyll in the vegetation is significantly reduced. The yellowed affected leaves, curling up, dry up, and the formation of cabbage heads stops altogether. On damaged testes, not only flower-bearing shoots, but also the stems of the tops are stained dark purple and dry out, not having time to form seeds.
How to fight
Cold weather and rainstorms have a negative impact on the development of cabbage aphids. All kinds of diseases, parasites and various predators also help in reducing the pest population, because there are about a hundred species of such predators with parasites. Cabbage aphids also die from entomophthora fungi.
To lure entomophages, it makes sense to plant such nectar plants as carrots, phacelia, dill and others near areas with cabbage plantings.
Weeds from the cabbage family, as well as post-harvest residues, must be destroyed. In order to plow plant residues, deep autumn plowing of the land is carried out.
As soon as the first aphid colonies are found, it is necessary to wipe the leaves with a cloth soaked in soapy water. Plentiful watering of vegetation with rather cold water also helps to reduce the number of pests in the beds.
Of the folk methods of struggle, preference is given to decoctions and infusions of tomato and potato tops, garlic, tobacco, onions, and henbane. Infusions of horse sorrel, celandine, hot pepper and yarrow will also be good helpers.
Foliar dressing using phosphorus-potassium fertilizers will also serve well - the plants will be more resistant to damage by harmful aphids. Excess nitrogen fertilizers, however, should be avoided. Top dressing is carried out in two stages: the first - as soon as the aphid is found on the cabbage testes, and the second - twenty days after the cabbage crops of the first year of cultivation are attacked by the first colonies of cabbage aphids.
Insecticides begin to be used when the number of pests reaches about 150 individuals per ten plants. The most suitable chemicals will be Rovikurt, Karbofos, Iskra, Decis extra, Bi-58 new, Actellik, Antio, etc.
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