Effect of Combined Dressing Agents on Phytosanitary Situation in Winter Wheat Ecosystems

Abstract

The Middle Volga forest-steppe was subject to a comparative assessment to evaluate the effectiveness of combined insect-fungicidal pesticides as regulators of a phytosanitary state of farming ecosystems and yields of winter wheat. Insect-fungicidal pesticides used for pre-sowing treatment do not guarantee unconditional success, but they help to significantly reduce pest-induced losses and obtain safer grain produce. Regulated seeding rates showed that, once applied, combined dressing agents become slightly less biologically effective with overcrowding or thinning of crops. Dividend Supreme effectively reduced damage to shoots by Swedish flies, slightly worse than Celest Top. Celest Top and Dividend Supreme ensured stable suppression of root rot during the years of research. The winter wheat increasingly lodged when Celest Top and Dividend Supreme were used for seed dressing compared to the control (without dressing). Insect-fungicidal dressing agents increased the yield of winter wheat compared to the control and, at the same time, the risk of lodging. This effect was especially noticeable when Celest Top was used. It is recommended to use the combined Dividend Supreme and Celest Top pesticides for ensuring a stable phytosanitary situation and obtaining a high-quality harvest with a seeding rate of the target crop of 2-3 million seeds per 1 ha.