How to protect the harvest from pest infestations in 2020

On 15 April, the experts of NJSC "Kazakh Agrotechnical University named after S.Seyfullin", as well as "Scientific Production Center of Grain Farming named after A.I.Barayev" LLP held online seminar on "Creation of conditions for quality sowing of seeds in the system of precision farming".

During the seminar, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, expert on plant protection Tlekkali Turganbayev voiced his forecast on the spread of insect pests in 2020, as well as gave recommendations on how to protect the crops.

Thus, in Korgalzhyn district, Akmola region, in recent years, the upper part of ears has been dried up due to the invasion of thrips (insect pest). Farmers face similar problem in other regions as well. How to fight it?

As known, this pest prefers dry and hot weather, because under such conditions its harmfulness increases. Therefore, among all pests that threaten crops, it can be safely put in the first place, both in terms of prevalence and damage caused.

This pest can be controlled during weed control, i.e. during the tillering period. During this period, it comes right out of the wintering grounds. Together with weed control, tank mixtures of herbicides and insecticides can be used against this insect. This prevents it from spreading further. Others prefer to let the next generation of pests develop, i.e. wait for the larvae to appear. Then the larvae are already fighting in the phase of flag leaf, earing. And it's going to be right as well.

"This pest does not slumber, we need to pay special attention to it. This year, there will be a mass of insects. Last year, for example, there were over 100 of them per ear. What can they do? Suck out all the juice, larvae make the grain tiny. The sowing qualities are decreasing. Gluten levels, the most important parameter, are dropping. You can get almost nothing from the harvest," Tlekkali Turganbayev said.

There are other pests to look out for when sowing crops in 2020. For many pests, a favorable environment is expected this year.

For example, most pests remain to winter on stubble and plant remains. Taking into account the fact that now there is a zero cultivation technology, which involves leaving plant residues in the field, we can predict that these pests will always exist. This year's winter was mild and the snow cover high, which provided the pests with reliable overwintering. Pests such as fleas, thrips, corn flies and leaf beetle can be expected to be common in 2020.

But if you take rapeseed, for example, that's a separate subject. Last year, many farms were affected by cabbage moth. This pest almost took out the entire harvest. Farmers did six or seven treatments, but did not manage to destroy it. It also needs special attention because it has a very large safety margin. It is necessary to control the weeds, which are a reservoir, as well as to conduct timely chemical treatment, fighting with contact insecticides. And it is necessary to fight the first generation, without waiting for the emergence of caterpillars.