Identity location: class Coleoptera, family Chrysomelidae
Origin: Central and South America

Diabrotica is considered to be one of the three most dangerous corn pests in the USA, together with cotton worm and corn borer.

This pest was first detected in Europe in 1992 in the outskirts of Belgrade airport (Belgrade is the capital of former Yugoslavia), by famous Serbian entomologist F. Bacha. Since that it was spread over the main corn-planting regions of Central and East Europe.

1994 had become the year of mass invasion of West corn beetle in Serbia: the pest destroyed corn crops on the territory of more then 100 thousand hectares. In 1995 the pest was found in Hungary and Croatia, in 1996 appeared in Romania, in 1997 – in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in 1998 – in Bulgaria and Italy, in 2000 – in Slovakia, in 2001- in Switzerland, in 2002 – in Austria, Check Republic and France, in 2005 – in Poland. In 2001 the beetle was found in Zakarpatye (Ukraine) close to the border with Hungary and Romania. By the year 2002 the area of its inhabitation increased to 500 km². For the present moment its settlement to the rest of the Ukrainian territory is prevented by the Carpathian mountains, but unfortunately its further spread is the matter of time.

Morphology features
The beetles are small, up to half-centimeter in size. Wing-cases are yellow-reddish with three black stripes, which sometimes have a look of black dotted line, and sometimes merge into joint blackish background.

Biology features
During the year the Western corn root beetle develops in one generation. Optimal temperature is within 21-30 °С. Lowest range of imago development is around 9 °С. Western corn root beetle is a monophag, his worms eat corn exclusively. The fertility is about 1000 eggs.

Massive rise of beetles to the soil surface takes place at the beginning of corm blossoming period. These processes coincide from phonological point of view. Soon after rise the beetles start to feed and to copulate. In two weeks time the females start to lay small yellowish eggs, mostly placing them at the basis of corm stem to the depth of 20 cm, preferring dewy places.

In the course of panicle fading the beetles leave the field and search for the flowers of other plants: Gramineae, Compositae, legumes and Cucurbitaceae, eat the pollen of the said staying active up to the first light frosts, after which they die.

Western corn root beetle spends a winter in the form of an egg. Eggs are capable to withstand the temperature to – 10 °С. The species peculiar feature is optional embryonic diapause immersion into which happens at 4-5 °С. The egg development requires cold period. However part of eggs can deliver larvae without the said – in 8 weeks after oviposition. However the eggs seated deeply can develop larvae only on the second year.

In spring with the ambient temperature reaching 11 °С, the larvae (looking like worms with brown head capsule) start feeding. They pass through three ages. They feed three to four weeks, reaching 1.5 cm in size and width of a slate of a pencil. Before pupation in the upper level of soil they settle "cradles", also soft white pupae can be found on the depth of 20 cm. The development finishes in two to three days only.

Detection and identification
The fact that the plants are occupied can be detected from the yellowing and slow growth of plants. Of course at the early stages of plants growth other plant feeders such as different soil fleas can course the same symptoms. That’s why to detect the pests at the early stage the regular checking and digging of plants are needed. At the late summer the presence of this pests on the fields is beyond doubts – fading and falling out mature plants has very characteristic shape of stem base – in the form of goose beak.

Detecting and calculation of the pests are done at every stage. To find the eggs special soil probes are used which are cleaned in 2.6 M sucrose solution. Larvae are collected from the roots. It should be taken into account that the main part of it (up to 90%) is usually situated in the radius of 10 cm around every stem. But the most preferred method is calculation of mature beetles by means of visual detection of plants from the moment of their blossoming or by means of traps.

Injuriousness
The beetles graze the panicles, columns of female inflorescences, sometimes young ears. Damage of sexual organs leads to reduction of grains in the ear and reduces the crops. The biggest harm comes from the larvae eating the plants roots. 29 larvae on one root is enough to cause death to the plant.

Means of expansion
On the imago stage the pests expend by themselves, with the help of wind. But entering different transport means (including planes) they can travel long distances, thus creating new settlements.

Quarantine methods and means of struggle
Classical methods of fight include: obligatory rotation of crops, change of late crops with early ones (the best terms are till the beginning of June), usage of bait plants and strong kinds, that have high regenerative capacity of roots and deeper bedding of the same. Tha main methods are plants treatment with pesticides against beetles and also putting of pesticides into the soil to fight larvae.

Center of innovative technologies have offered one principally new (relatively the method) technology that provides for protection against the beetle with the help of clean biological preparation of Ukrainian manufacturing; both the norms and method of usage were developed, as well as data on the equipment for industrial usage.

10.12.2007. the Patent № 28446 for Means of Biological protection from Western corn root beetle was received.

To the attention of scientists-entomologists, heads of agricultural companies!

As the result of long and fruitful cooperative work of Center of Innovative Technologies (headed by Gordienko L.E., Kramatorsk city), Institute of Plants protection (director FedorenkoV.P., laboratory manager Bokshan O.Y., Kiev), Central Research laboratory of State Department of Plants Quarantine (headed by Pilipenko L.A., Kiev) thepurely biological mean was found to fight Western corn root beetle. The performed experiments in real conditions and with the true beetles have shown POSITIVE results.

So the offer is: we invite interested companies, services, expert for industrial implementation of the preparation with the help of multi-functional sowing machine of exact sowing "Vodoley". We also consider the possibility of entering into license agreement with foreign companies.