Pheromonitoring of cotton noctuid on sunflower crops and control measures

Cotton noctuid (Helicoverpa armigera Hbn.) is the most dangerous pest in breeding and production sunflower crops in the Krasnodar region which annually causes seed losses on average up to 35%. Indirect harm caused by the larvae of the cotton noctuid is infection of damaged tissues of sunflower heads by pathogens such as dry rot (Botrytis cinerea), causing a decrease in seed quality. The usage of pheromone traps is a means of more accurately account the flight intensity of cotton noctuid. The number of cotton noctuid butterflies more than 30 per trap is a signal to spray sunflower crops with insecticides after 5-7 days. In the conditions of the Krasnodar region, a cotton noctuid develops in three generations. However, the 3rd generation is optional and it develops usually on the late soybean varieties. Application of insecticides Coragen, CS (200 g per liter) - 0.15 liter per ha and Ampligo, ISS (50 + 100 g per liter) - 0.3 liter per ha for protection of sunflower crops ensures the death of the cotton noctuid caterpillars in 3 days after processing by 91.0-100.0 %, which allows obtaining yield increase of 0.18-0.32 ton per ha.