Beet weevil destroys thousands of hectares of Austrian sugar beets

The article highlights the significant challenges faced by Austria's sugar industry due to the ban on neonicotinoids, which have been crucial for pest control, particularly against the beet weevil. This ban has led to an escalation of the pest problem, resulting in the destruction of a substantial portion of sugar beet crops, with around 4,000 out of 38,000 hectares being ruined and re-sown areas also being threatened. The lack of effective alternatives has left growers feeling vulnerable, and efforts to control the pest using pheromone traps have been largely unsuccessful. The situation is further complicated by the beet weevil's reproductive behavior, with each female potentially laying up to 200 eggs, leading to a potentially exponentional pest growth next year. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the pest is currently in its mating phase, with heavy rainfall offering a glimmer of hope in parasitizing soil fungi that could kill larvae. This situation underscores the urgent need for the development of alternative pest control strategies to avert catastrophic damage to sugar beet crops in both Austria and Germany.