Insect pests of corn and protection measures against them in the Orel region

The cultivation of corn for grain in the Orel region has prospects both in terms of productivity and market. Technological capabilities, modern hybrids and natural conditions make it possible to obtain grain yields at the level of world indices (about 10 tons / ha). One of the obstacles to increasing the yield of grain are insect pests, the species composition of which is not sufficiently studied in the Orel region. The aim of the research was to study the species composition of insect pests of corn, to develop a system of observations, control and protection. A survey of corn production crops for the purpose of identifying insect pests was carried out in 2011-2017. It has been established that from all soil pests 8 types of wireworms and 4 species of Tenebrionidae damage corn. Acridids locusts are common pests on the border lands, 4 species with a low degree of harmfulness are known. Migratory locusts have a local distribution, but the potential of harmfulness by pest population, speed of propagation, and the suddenness of appearance in crops due to flying from neighboring southern regions is high. Of the lepidopterans cutworms are common ( Agrotis segetum Schiff., A. exclamationis L., A. ipsilon Hufn, Xestia c-nigrum L., Autographa gamma L. ) and the most dangerous of them is the cotton leaf worm Helicoverpa armiger a Hbn. In certain periods Pyrausta (Loxostege) sticticalis L. and Ostrinia (Pyrausta) nubilalis Hb. have the economic value. Of sucking pests there are 3 species of aphids, 3 species of leafhoppers, 4 species of bedbugs, 4 types of thrips. In addition to them, locally, Tanymecus palliatus Fabr., Oscinella frit L, Phyllotreta vittula Redtenb, Lema can be dangerous. As a dangerous quarantine and potential pest of corn in the Orel region the Western corn rootworm Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte is presented. The system of observations of insect pests of corn is presented. Protection from insect pests includes organizational, economic, agrotechnical and chemical methods.