Netherlands: Early flowering field pea variety as a trap crop for pea weevils

Bruchus pisorum L. is an economically important pest of field pea (Pisum sativum L.) crops worldwide. However, no fully effective methods (conventional, alternative) of its control exist now. To fill this knowledge gap, possibilities of trap cropping were tested in the years 2015–2017. Two field pea varieties differing in the start of flowering, and one spring barley variety, were used to design four different types of crops that were compared in large plot trials (2.82 ha). It was hypothesized the females would prefer zones planted with early flowering variety for oviposition. In all three seasons, females placed more eggs on pods in the parts of plots planted with the early flowering variety, and positive aggregation of the eggs and infested seeds were recorded there too. In cases where the egg-laying period is shorter than 14–21 days, the early flowering variety located at the margins should serve efficiently as a trap crop. Read ...