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1DANGEROUS PESTS OF HAWTHORNS, WIDESPREADED IN UZBEKISTAN AND DEVELOPMENT OF BIOLOGICAL METHODS OF THEIR PROTECTION
1Mukhsimov N.P., 2Akhmedova Z.R., 3Khamraeva Z.T., 4Nafasov Z.N., 5Obidjanov D.A.
1Research Institute of Forestry 2,3Institute of Microbiology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan 4,5Research Institute of Quarantine and Plant Protection. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13125183
Abstract. The article presents materials on identifying the main pests and diseases of 3 species of hawthorns growing in the upper reaches of Chirchik River in Bruchmulinsky forestry enterprise. Three types of harmful insects that damage hawthorn have been identified. Phenological observations of the development ofpests in hawthorn plantations are presented. The results of treatments to protect plants from pests using modern drugs are shown.
Keywords: hawthorn, pests, plantings, harmfulness, effectiveness of protection, drugs.
Relevance of the problem. Recently, the transition of all branches of agriculture and industry to organic channel in all directions has attracted great interest. Therefore, the number of organic firms and companies around the world increases year by year and is more than 500.
For the implementation of organic farming, preparations, agents, substances and biological fertilizers, biopesticides, biostimulants and other metabolites of organic origin are required.
In the fight against harmful insects, along with biological preparations of animal and plant origin, preparations of microbial synthesis are of particular interest due to their speed, cheapness, ease of reproduction, and most importantly, the effectiveness of action in the conditions of the local region.
Microorganisms confined to local regions and biological preparations prepared on their basis primarily have a number of valuable properties: high activity of action, thermal stability, wide substrate specificity to many types of various pests, etc.
Therefore, all over the world, when developing integrated plant protection systems, much attention is paid to biological methods of regulating the population of insect pests. The most effective and frequently used (they occupy 90-95% of the bioinsecticide market) are preparations created on the basis of spore-forming gram-positive bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis. Such value of bacteria is due to the fact that in the process of spore formation parasporal crystals of protein nature are formed, which have three types of shape. Moreover, in the process of active growth on optimized media and conditions, some strains of these bacteria are capable of producing heat-resistant P-exotoxin, enzymes: phospholipases, proteases, chitinases and VIP-toxin proteins, which reduce insects and pests.
Biopesticides of various microbial origin are highly valued in various areas of agricultural production and health care, as they effectively destroy pathogenic insects, without posing a threat to humans, warm-blooded animals, non-target organisms and the environment, in general, the ecology of the area.
Unfortunately, the range of biopesticides is much smaller than chemical ones. Therefore, both abroad and in our country, for the development and production of biological products, active
initial strains are needed, the search for which is carried out in natural sources according to the criteria of technological effectiveness, activity and a wide spectrum of action. Today, scientists and manufacturers in our country are faced with the task of integrating biological protection products, including bioinsecticides that do not harm nature.
Moreover, in many developed countries, the use of chemical pesticides in natural forest biocenoses in the fight against harmful insects is prohibited, and it is recommended to use only bioinsecticides and other biological products. These include biopesticides, widely distributed throughout the world, obtained mainly on the basis of B. thuringiensis strains. For this reason, an increase in the purchase of biological products prepared on the basis of B. thuringiensis strains is observed in the fields of agricultural crops.
On the other hand, for the development and production of biological products, active initial strains of local origin are needed, the search for which is carried out in natural sources according to the criteria of technological effectiveness, activity and spectrum of action.
Therefore, today our country faces the task of integrating biological protection products, including bioinsecticides, into agricultural production to achieve compliance with international quality standards, which is especially important for the export of agricultural products grown in our Republic.
It is also worth noting that most biopreparations based on B. thuringiensis come from abroad. Imported strains are often not adapted to local climatic conditions, do not harmonize with the local bioflora and, most importantly, are expensive.
In the path of protecting the environment and natural landscape, the creation of domestic bioinsecticides based on local strains of fungi, bacteria, as well as B. thuringiensis - to combat pests such as the cotton bollworm and gypsy moth, which cause significant damage to cotton growing and forestry, remains extremely relevant.
Characteristics of the terrain and objects of study. The need for research on pest control and such preparations is due to the fact that in the forestry of the Republic, the areas of disease coverage of which are increasing very rapidly. In Tashkent region, displaced forests are distributed mainly in Chirchik-Angren basin on the slopes of the northwestern part of the Chatkal and partially Kuramin ridges, where they are almost completely exterminated and have survived only as witnesses of the past in inaccessible places as individual trees and clumps. The best preserved shrub plantations are in the upper reaches of Chirchik River along the Ugam and Koksuy gorges. Here they are concentrated mainly on the right bank of the Koksu River and occupy a total area of about 5,000 hectares. Wild apple, cherry plum, hawthorn grow throughout the entire area of Chirchik-Angren mountain forest massif. The undergrowth is represented by honeysuckle, serviceberry, buckthorn, almond, pistachio, spirea, barberry, rose hips, mountain cherry and Mahaleb cherry [1].
Hawthorns with the participation of tree and shrub species include mixed communities, in the tree-shrub layer of which, in addition to Turkestan hawthorn, a significant share is made up of other shrub (cherry plum, pistachio, almond) or tree (walnut, poplar, kayragach) species. This community is a cereal-apple-hawthorn, cherry plum-hawthorn, oregano-cherry plum-hawthorn, barley-spiraea-hawthorn, sedge-forb-hawthorn association [2].
In the mixed nut-fruit plantations on the territory of Bruchmulinsky forestry there grow 3 species of hawthorn: Turkestan (Crataegus turkestanika), Songorsky (Crataegus songorica Koch.) and Pontic (Crataeguspontika C.Koch.) (Fig. 1, 2, 3).
Pontic hawthorn - Crataeguspontika C.Koch. - a thornless tree up to 4-5 m high (Fig. 1) V.I. Zapragaeva (1964), referring to other authors, notes that it grows up to 15 m high. [3]. The leaves are ovoid-rhombic, glaucous-green. The fruits are round, flattened at the poles, orange-yellow, edible. It is found within the altitude range of 1150-1400 m. It occupies slopes of eastern and southern exposures. As a rule, these are isolated trees among steppe or tree-shrub vegetation. Crataegus pontika plantations are mainly sparse forests. Associated species are Crataegus turkestanika, Amygdalus communis, Celtis caucasica, Spiraea hypericifolia, Berberis oblonga. Herbaceous vegetation in these plantations consists of Hordeum bolbosum, Adropogon ischaemum, Agropyrum trichophorum, Cynodon dactylon.
Figure 1. Pontic hawthorn, Crataegus pontika C.Koch.)
Fig. 2. Turkestan (Crataegus turkestanika)
Fig.3. Songorsky-(Crataegus songorica Koch.)
Among them, Crataegus turkestanika is a subdominant in hawthorn-maple and hawthorn-walnut plantations. Together with Prunus Sogdiana it forms the thicket edge of the nut forest, participates in the creation of multi-species thickets, found at various exposures and altitudes. Less often, Crataegus turkestanica (Fig. 2) is common in steppe phytocenoses, pistachio, rose gardens, apple, ash forests, as well as in exochord thickets and among the vegetation of floodplains. Such an abundance of communities and metahabitats indicates a wide ecological distribution, amplitude of volume coverage and high ecological valence of this type of hawthorn.
In turn, the Songhorn hawthorn - Crataegus songorica Koch. - is a small tree, often bush-shaped with reddish-brown annual shoots. The leaves are broadly triangular or almost rounded, deeply 5-7-lobed (Fig. 3). The fruits are broadly oval, purple-black. It is found mainly in the lower half of the walnut-fruit forest belt along dry riverbeds, alluvial fans, terraces, gravelly slopes of southern and eastern exposures in Crataegus turkestanika communities and in multi-species shrub thickets.
However, in recent years, the sanitary condition of natural hawthorn stands has been unsatisfactory due to anthropogenic and environmental factors associated primarily with overgrazing, soil erosion processes (wind, flushing, groundwater), lack of nutrients, and various diseases. In addition, numerous harmful organisms such as fungal diseases, sucking and leaf-eating insects, and pests cause great harm to hawthorn stands.
Harmful organisms damaging the assimilation apparatus of plants lead to a decrease in the activity of photosynthesis, which affects their weakening, loss of stability, decreased development, productivity, and damage to the crown of forage species over a number of years, which can ultimately lead to the death of trees.
A survey of hawthorn plantations in order to identify the main pests and diseases was carried out according to the "Instructions for the supervision, recording and forecasting of outbreaks of the main leaf-eating insects in the nut-fruit zone of Uzbekistan" [4], "Methodology of field experiment" according to Dospekhov [5]. To test biological preparations against pests and diseases, "Methodological guidelines for the rational use of biological preparations against leaf-eating insect pests of Central Asian forests" were used [6].
The species composition of pests was determined in the forest protection laboratory at the forestry research institute.
The drug "Ecobak" prepared on the basis of Bacillus thuringiensis was kindly provided by the staff of the Institute of Molecular Biology of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Results and their discussion
In the spring-summer period of 2024, as a result of entomological and phytopathological examinations of nut-fruit plantations on the territory of Bruchmulinsky forestry enterprise in Tashkent region, the species composition of pests and diseases damaging hawthorn plantations was identified.
Monitoring of morphological and physiological characteristics revealed that the main pests are the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.), hawthorn leaf roller (Archips crataegannf Hbn.), hawthorn marginal gall mite (Eriophyes goniothorax), phytopathogens of various classes.
Brief characteristics of leaf-eating pests of hawthorn
The conducted censuses of pest numbers and phenological studies of pests on permanent test plots showed that in plantations, depending on the type of insect, it remains quite high.
A survey of hawthorn plantations made it possible to establish that the development of the gypsy moth in 2024 took place 10 days later than usual. The main reason for the delay in all phenological phases of pest development was due to heavy rains and low air temperatures during this period.
The emergence of caterpillars from overwintered eggs was noted at the end of the first ten-day period of April and coincided with the period of budding of forage species, the development of the first instar caterpillars of the gypsy moth took an average of 9 days, the development of the second instar took 8 days, the duration of the third instar caterpillars was 9 days, the fourth - fifth - in an average of 7 days, the sixth instar - in 8 days. The development of caterpillars from the first to the sixth instar was 48 days, males from the first to the fifth - 40 days. The appearance of pupae was noted in plantations at the end of May, the first to pupate male caterpillars, then females. The flight of butterflies was noted in the first ten-day period of June. At the same time, the first egg-laying of the pest was found on the trunks of forage species. It winters in the egg stage.
The beginning of the development of the hawthorn leaf roller was noted in the second ten-day period of April. The emergence of caterpillars from the eggs of the hawthorn leaf roller was noted in 2024 in the third ten-day period of April. The development of the caterpillars lasted on average 45 days. The caterpillars of the pest have five instars and molt 4 times. The pupal phase lasted 11 days. The flight of butterflies took place in early June. After mating, the female lays from 130 to 270 pale yellow slightly flattened eggs with rounded tops. The eggs are usually laid by the female in groups of 10-70 pieces, covering them with a special secreted secretion. Eggs are most often laid in cracks and depressions in the bark, in the forks of the branches of host species, mainly at a height of 1-3 meters from the ground, overwintering in the egg phase. [7,8,9,10.]
The discovered hawthorn marginal gall mite was noted in the second half of May. Characteristic damage to hawthorn leaves had relief galls in the form of small swellings on the upper side of the leaves. In the scientific literature, there are separate articles on this type of pest, although its biology has not been sufficiently studied. Therefore, it is planned to study the biology of this type of pest in more detail in the spring of 2025.
Testing of biological preparations against hawthorn pests
To combat the gypsy moth and hawthorn leaf roller, in 2024, tests were carried out on the biologically active preparation "Ecobak", prepared on the basis of the bacterial strain Bacillus thuringiensis Bt1. The preparation was tested at three consumption rates of 4.5, 6 liters per hectare. The bioinsecticide preparation "Lepidocid" based on Bacillus thuringiensis sp. Kurstaki was used as a standard. The control was an untreated area of plantings, taking into account the natural death of the pest. The insecticidal activity of the B. thuringiensis strain - Bt1 against 1st and 2nd instar gypsy moth caterpillars was studied for 3-14 days.
For 14 days against 1st and 2nd instar gypsy moth caterpillars kept in laboratory conditions at an air temperature of +24°C and a relative air humidity of 60% in Petri dishes in the amount of 10 pieces in 3-fold replication. The tested bioinsecticide "Ecobak" with a consumption rate of 5 l/ha showed insecticidal activity after treatment, the number of dead caterpillars was 20% on the 3rd day, 61% on the 7th day, 78% on the 10th day and 100% on the 14th day of observation (Fig.
4).
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Figure 4. Dynamics of the effect of "Ecobak" on gypsy moth caterpillars for 14 days after
treatment.
After conducting laboratory studies, large-scale field tests of "Ecobak" were conducted.
During the examination of hawthorn plantations for the purpose of testing "Ecobak", 5 test plots of 0.5 hectares were selected. In each test plot, the number of pests was determined by a detailed inspection of the host trees. To account for the number of gypsy moths, 3 trees were selected in each test plot, the total number of caterpillars was counted, and their age composition was determined. (Fig. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10). The treatment of the plots was carried out on May 24 in the morning at an air temperature of +24 ° C, with a relative air humidity of 60%, using a knapsack motorized sprayer of the TE XA T - 65909 brand.
Figure 9. Leaf damaged by hawthorn leaf Figure 10. Gypsy moth caterpillars on roller hawthorn
Figure 5. Hawthorn leaves damaged by Figure 6. Pest count in the crown of the plant hawthorn marginal gall mite
Figure 7. Analysis of leaf damage Figure 8. Trial plot in hawthorn plantations
During the examination in early May 2024, it was found that, depending on the test areas, the average number of caterpillars was 20.2-23.5 per tree for the gypsy moth and 15.4-22.0 per tree for the hawthorn leaf roller. The presence of pests at different stages of development and traces of life activity was determined visually by examining tree crowns and individual branches. In field experiments, bacterial preparations based on the use of young entomopathogenic bacteria and Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki "Lepidocid" as a standard were tested. "Ecobak" with consumption rates of 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 l / ha and Lepidocide 100 s.p. with a consumption rate of 1.2 kg / ha. The results of treating the plantings with the Ecobak preparation are presented in (Table 1).
The biological efficiency of the preparation was assessed on the 15th day after treatment (see the methodology). By the time of treatment, the plantings contained gypsy moth caterpillars of the II-III ages, single caterpillars of the 1st age, as well as caterpillars of the II-III ages of the hawthorn leaf roller. The preparation Bacillus thuringiensis var. thuringiensis "Ecobak", with consumption rates of 4-5 l/ha showed quite high efficiency.
Table 1
Efficiency of using the bacterial preparation "Ecobak" strain Bt1 against gypsy moth and
hawthorn leaf roller
Name of the preparation and consumptio n rate Average number of pests, pcs Biological efficiency adjusted for control,%
Gypsy moth Hawthorn leaf roller Against gypsy moth Against hawthorn leaf roller
Before treatme nt After treatment Before treatment After treatment
Ecobak
strain №
94
3 l/ha 23,5 4.5 22,0 3,6 79,0±1,5 81,9 ±1,4
4 l/ha 21,7 0,8 15,4 2,6 94,5±0,7 82,5±1,7
5 l/ha 20,2 0,1 16,5 1,9 97,9±0,3 88,5±1,4
Lepidocid- 100 sp, application rate 1.2 l/ha 25,6 4,3 17,4 3,9 81,5±1,3 79,2±1,6
Control (without treatment) 23,0 22,6 15,4 15,4 100 100
According to the data presented in Table 1, it can be concluded that the high biological efficiency of the Ecobak preparation against gypsy moth caterpillars is achieved at all tested application rates. On the 15th day after treatment, the biological efficiency of the Ecobak preparation adjusted for the control was 94.5±0.7% at an application rate of 4 l/ha and 97.9±0.3% at an application rate of 5 l/ha. The efficiency of the preparation against the hawthorn leaf roller at an application rate of 5 l/ha was the highest and was 88.5±1.4%. The biological efficiency of the Lepidocide preparation was 79.2±1.6%.
Due to the fact that the leaf roller caterpillars were in the leaves rolled into a tube during treatment, the biological efficiency of the preparations used was slightly lower than when treating plantations against the gypsy moth.
Conclusion:
A survey of hawthorn plantations in the territory of Bruchmulinsky forestry enterprise conducted in spring and summer of 2024 revealed that the most dangerous types of leaf-eating pests are 2 species: the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.), the hawthorn leaf roller (Archips crataegannf Hbn.).
The average number of caterpillars was 20.2-23.5 for the gypsy moth per tree, and 15.422.0 for the hawthorn leaf roller per accounting branch.
The insecticidal activity of the B. thuringiensis Bt1 strain against 1- and 2-year-old gypsy moth larvae was studied in laboratory conditions for 3-14 days.
For 14 days against 1- and 2-year-old gypsy moth larvae, Bt1 strains showed insecticidal activity of up to 100%.
Treatment of hawthorn plantations against pest caterpillars with Bacillus thuringiensis var. thuringiensis Bt1 - "Ecobak", at a rate of 4-5 l/ha showed sufficiently high efficiency, which allows us to recommend this preparation for large areas against leaf-eating insects.
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