2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Currant shoot gall midge lives mainly in the forest-steppe and woodlands and damages the fragrant currant. The middle zone of Russia is a fertile habitat for these parasites. The most favorable conditions for the development of these enemies of the currant are wet areas, in which a moderate temperature regime is established with the beginning of the growing season. The main harm is caused by the larvae of currant eaters - in addition to eating plant tissues, they are also characterized by rather poisonous secretions
Meet the pest
The imago of gluttonous pests of currant reaches a length of 2, 5 - 3 mm. The wings of these pests, evenly covered with hairs, are colored gray, and two brownish stripes can be seen on the orange-yellow abdomens of the parasites. The tips of the abdomen in females are also equipped with slightly pointed small ovipositor.
The size of the glassy spindle-shaped eggs of these enemies of the currant is approximately 0.3 - 0.4 mm. And the larvae up to 4 mm in size are colored orange-black, although at the very youngest age they are always white.
Harmful larvae overwinter in the surface soil layer in cocoons, lying at a depth of one to eight centimeters; slightly less often they can overwinter in places of their feeding under the shoot bark. Pupation of these parasites occurs in late April or early May. The development of pupae takes from eight to fourteen days, and the years of pests occur in the last decade of May.
Sexually mature females that have flown out immediately lay eggs, placed in relatively small groups in the wounds on the bark of currant twigs of the first and second years, as well as in the cracks of the young bark. After about 3 - 6 days, the revived harmful larvae in whole colonies are taken under the bark and begin to feed on the juice. On the areas damaged by them, the formation of depressed dark spots begins, the skin cracks, and numerous shoots, drying out, break in the current season. Shoots that have been damaged to a lesser extent dry out and also break after about two to three years. In places of damage, the appearance of harmful saprophytic fungi accelerating the death of tender shoots is also noted.
At the beginning of July, voracious larvae, having completed their feeding, move into the soil, where they later pupate, thereby initiating the development of the next, much more numerous generation. Imagoes of the new generation begin to fly out from the second half of July until mid-September.
The spreading of currant shoot gall midges occurs with a portable planting material and with the help of the wind. The adults themselves are capable of flying an average of 40 - 45 meters, no more.
These parasites cause the main harm to black currant. White and red currants suffer from their attacks much less often.
How to fight
When harvesting cuttings for subsequent planting, damaged specimens must be carefully discarded. In early spring and late autumn, they dig up the soil under the currant bushes. Damaged shoots of this berry culture should be cut regularly (from July to September) without leaving hemp and burned immediately. It is very important to make every effort to avoid any mechanical damage to the branches.
It is recommended to mulch the soil under the bushes with loose soil, humus or peat within a radius of at least half a meter. The layer of mulch should be about 6 - 8 centimeters.
Among the folk remedies for spraying from currant shoot gall midges, infusions of garlic, ash, nutshells, yarrow and dandelion have proven themselves well.
Insecticide treatments are carried out before flowering, and also, if necessary, when the harvest is completed. Such treatments are advisable if 20 - 25% of the shoots are inhabited by currant shoot gall midges. During the budding period, spraying is carried out with Rovikurt, Karbofos, Aktellik, etc. And after flowering, the treatment of currant bushes with 1% colloidal sulfur is also allowed.
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