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Pest management in organic rapeseed production

Project


Project code: 2806OE352
Contract period: 01.09.2008 - 31.08.2011
Budget: 122,200 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research

There are many factors which are negatively influencing the grain yield of winter oilseed rape. One important factor is the infestation by insect pests which can cause a total loss of grain yield. The main insect pests of winter oilseed rape in Germany are: the cabbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephalus), the rape stem weevil (Ceutorhynchus napi), the cabbage stem weevil (Ceutorhynchus pallidactylus), the pollen beetle (Meligethes aeneus), the cabbage seed weevil (Ceutorhynchus assimilis) and the brassica pod midge (Dasineura brassica). Especially in organic oilseed rape cultivation where effective strategies for plant protection are not available, these pests can cause high losses of grain yield. This is one important reason why only a small crop area about 3000ha is planted with organic winter oilseed rape. At the same time there is an increasing market for this organic raw material (oil mills, feed industry), so that the production of organic oilseed rape in Germany cannot cover the demand. For this reason it is necessary to develop strategies which can reduce the damage caused by insect pests. It is well known that many of the insect pests infesting oilseed rape show a preference for turnip rape if both species are available. One objective of this project is to investigate if turnip rape is suitable as a trap crop to keep the insect pests away from the oilseed rape. For this reason field trials are established to find out if a border strip of turnip rape or a mixed cropping system (5 or 10% turnip rape) is more effective to control the insect pests. Furthermore there are field trails with different varieties of turnip rape to investigate which one is most attractive under field conditions. In addition to these indirect strategies the effect of direct strategies with the application of natural-based plant protection sprays shall be tested.

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