Acta Agriculturae Slovenica (Jun 2004)
Occurrence of the Western Corn Rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte) in Slovenia
Abstract
Offical monitoring of the spreading of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera in Slovenia has been organized since 1997. Every year it was carried out by the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia together with Phythosanitary Inspection. To determine the WCR population Hungarian pheromone traps (Csalomon) and yellow sticky traps were placed out in pairs on 58 localities at the end of June 2003. Four additional pheromone traps were placed out at the end of July (Pomurje - 2) and at the beginning of August (Northern Primorska – 2) when the first beetles of WCR were detected. The traps were monitored from July 7th to the end of August every 7 – 10 days. While pheromone traps were changed at intervals of 30 days, the yellow sticky traps were changed more frequently. In 2003 the occurrence of Western Corn Rootworm (WCR) was registered for the first time in the eastern part of Slovenia (Pomurje, Podravje) and its western part (Norther Primorska) too. From the total number of 62 inspected localities in the territory of Slovenia the pest was registered in 14 of them (22.6 %). Fifteen specimens altogether were caught in the eastern part of Slovenia (Gibina, Benica, Mostje, Jastrebci, Pince, Domanjševci, Loperšice, Motvarjevci, Grabe, Žitkovci, Gaberje) and four specimens in its western part (Vogrsko, Ajševica, Bukovica). We caught 19 specimens altogether. The monitoring was financed by Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food.
