The Novosibirsk Region is developing a roadmap to introduce new methods of controlling forest insect pests.
A field meeting was held in the Iskitimsky District with the participation of the representatives of the Ministry of Science and Innovation Policy of the Novosibirsk Region, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Novosibirsk Region, research institutions of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and specialized organizations. The specialists reviewed the condition of tree gene banks.
According to the data of the FSI "Roslesozaschita", 24 hectares of plantations of Siberian larch out of 30.5 hectares are affected by the pest - larch bud midge. This species of mosquito-like insects causes significant damage to tree seed farms in Siberia. In case of repeated and severe infestation the tree loses up to 90% of buds, and fruiting is sharply reduced.
The roadmap for 2023-2025 includes the development of methods for controlling insect pests of Siberian larch on the territory of Iskitimskoye and Karasukskoye forestry department.
As Vyacheslav Martemyanov, head of the Laboratory of Ecological Physiology at the Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Candidate of Biological Sciences, reported during the meeting, pheromone disorientation can be an effective method of controlling one of the insect pest species identified in these plantations (pine-cone moth): "This method of bioprotection of coniferous plantations will help to preserve valuable tree species and increase seed collection. "It is enough to place 10-20 traps per 1 hectare", - the scientist believes. - The problem as a whole requires an integrated approach, as several other insect pest species have been detected in the study area."
Within the framework of the meeting, employees of the Siberian Federal Scientific Centre of Agro-BioTechnologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences selected samples of vegetative and generative parts of larch and cedar to study the species composition of pests and their entomophages, as well as the causative agents of diseases of these forest crops.
According to Irina Andreeva, head of the Laboratory of Biological Control of Phytophages and Phytopathogens of the SFSCA RAS, Candidate of Science in Agriculture, the work to reduce the number of the pests and their harmfulness should be carried out in parallel in several directions. First of all, it is necessary to significantly reduce the number of larch bud midge by traditional methods, using chemical insecticides authorized for use in forestry. Further, it is necessary to study in detail the life cycle of this phytophage, which will allow to identify the optimal time of its control and select safer biological means.
Based on the results of the field meeting, Siberian scientists will have to determine control methods for a certain species of the identified insects, as well as the criteria for assessing their effectiveness. It was recognized promising to carry out breeding work on selection of tree specimens resistant to midge and their dissemination on farms.