ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Manuscript received: 19. February, 2003.
Accepted for publication: 2. March, 2003.
THE CONTROL OF PESTS IN ECOSYSTEMS BY UNCHEMICAL METHODS
COMBATEREA DĂUNĂTORILOR DIN ECOSISTEME METODE NECHIMICE
BUNESCU* H., GHIZDAVU I., MIHAI G., OLTEAN I., PORCA M., BODIŞ I.
REZUMAT
Cel mai important mod de a combate dăunătorii este evitarea utilizării produselor chimice, prevenind poluarea
mediului în diferitele ecosisteme. În acest scop, colectivul nostru şi-a propus să studieze şi să aplice metode
nechimice, conform cerinţelor combaterii ecologice a dăunătorilor, pentru a combate câţiva dăunători
rezistenţi la pesticide. Au fost utilizate 2 categorii de metode fizice: cele care au ca principiu utilizarea
radiaţiei luminoase reflectate de diferite materiale, aplicate direct pe frunzele plantelor-gazdă, sau pe
substrat, care îndepărtează insectele de la locul dăunării şi metode care au ca principiu utilizarea
unor capcane vizuale (panouri şi farfurii colorate), pentru atragerea insectelor. Cercetările s-au
desfăşurat în anul 2002 prin organizarea a cinci experienţe, în două ecosisteme (livadă şi păşune
montană). Ambele categorii de metode şi-au dovedit eficacitatea.
CUVINTE-CHEIE: combatere, metode nechimice, dăunători, ecosisteme
ABSTRACT
The most important way to control the pests is to not use chemicals, preventing the environmental pollution in
the different ecosystems. We proposed to study and apply the unchemical methods according to ecological
pest management, to control some pesticide resistant pests. The research has been oriented to the physical
methods: the use of the light radiation reflected by different materials (supports), directly applied on the hostplant
leaves or on the ground, which remove the insects from the damaged zone; the use of visual traps
(coloured panels and coloured plates), which attract and capture the insects. The researches were carried out in
2002, with five experiences organised in two ecosystems (orchard and mountain grazing). The both categories
of methods were very effective.
KEY WORDS: control, unchemical methods, pests, ecosystems
THE CONTROL OF PESTS IN ECOSYSTEMS BY UNCHEMICAL METHODS
Journal of Central 8 European Agriculture, Volume 4 (2002) No. 1
DETAILED ABSTRACT
The most important way to control the pests is not to use chemicals, preventing the environmental pollution in
the different ecosystems. We proposed to study and apply the unchemical methods according to ecological
pest management, to control some pesticide resistant pests. The research has been oriented to the physical
methods: the use of the light radiation reflected by different materials (supports), directly applied on the hostplant
leaves or on the ground, which remove the insects from the damaged zone; the use of visual traps
(coloured panels and coloured plates) which attract and capture the insects. The researches were carried out in
2002, at Cluj-Napoca and Sinaia, in some private gardens. Four experiences have been organised in an
orchard: two on plum-tree, Prunus domestica L. (infected with Hyalopterus pruni Geoff.) and on apple-tree,
Malus domestica L (infected with Aphis pomi L.), using a reflective material (micronized mica powder) and
two using visual traps (coloured sticky panels) at the same species. One experience has been organised on a
mountain grazing ecosystem with Lolium spp. and Trifolium spp., using as visual traps coloured plates.
After one week we noted the results. The both categories of methods were very effective.
BUNESCU H., GHIZDAVU I., MIHAI G., OLTEAN I., PORCA M., BODIŞ I.
Journal of Central European Agriculture, Volume 4 (2002) No. 1 9
INTRODUCTION
The permanent attention to the action of pests in
agrohorticultural ecosystems is absolutely necessary,
because of the great damages. As the pests are very
resistant, the efficacy of classical control methods
decreased very much.
The irrational use of pesticides in agrohorticultural
ecosystems’ chemiotherapy, had a negative impact to
the environment, due to the pollutant residues and
their long persistence and this fact, imposed a plant
protection redirect towards the ecological way,
unpollutant, applying some alternative methods and
using some modern pesticides. Even these products
have a low toxicity (easy to manipulate and use), an
increased selectivity for beneficial fauna (bees, fish,
zoophags, etc.), quick effects to the target, etc., the
ecological problem is not solved by a satisfying
point of view. So, the integrated pest management of
agrohorticultural ecosystems, needs the priority use
of some unconventional methods of pest control. The
use of unchemical methods is the main ring of
ecological technology, of modern agriculture.
In the world wide plant protection field, it has been
introduced and applied the modern integrated pest
management concept, where the unpollutant or
unchemical methods have the main role (6, 10). For
example, among these methods, the biological,
physical, mechanical and hormonal control, are
notable (16).
The biological control methods, as integrated part of
biotechnology, means to rear and launch of zoophags
(parasits and predators) (1, 2, 3, 4, 8), using
microbiological products (bacterians, virotics,
fungical, etc.) (7, 11) or applying biological active
substances (especially sexual atractant pheromones)
(12).
Other unchemical pest control methods are the
physical ones: modification of environmental factors
(temperature, humidity, light), use of visual or optical
traps - coloured sticky panels (12), coloured plates,
ultrasound generators, high frequency electric and
electromagnetic fields, radiation emission (X, UV,
etc.).
The mechanical methods, using some adequate
equipment and devices (15) and the hormonal ones by
applying some synthetic analogs of hormones and
especially the use of analogs of juvenille hormone (13,
14) represent an alternative to chemiotherapy.
In Romania, the chemical control is widely used by
integrated pest management, at a superior level (5,
9). Besides the negative impact on the environment,
the high price of modern pesticides settle the
direction to unpollutant methods, cheaper, like the
unchemical control methods of pests.
Although these are advance guard methods, they can
lead to aquire of the interesting results, especially
when the studied pests are resistant to pesticides.
Because of this, they are a precious alternative from
the scientific research point of view and a concrete
solution for practical activity.
The national researches concerning these aspects are
at the beginning, because the priority of biological
methods and the world wide references of specialised
litterature are relatively short.
MATERIAL AND METHOD
We proposed to study and use some unchemical
control pest methods, as a continuity of the past
study made between 1999-2001 in a grant project.
Used methods are based on: applying the principle of
reflected light radiance by a material, applied on
host-plant leaves, which set in motion the insects,
removing them from the damaging place; using
visual (coloured) traps (sticky panels) which attract
the pests.
To proposed objectives achievement, the
experiences were carried out according to
experimental technics, in experimental field
conditions at Cluj-Napoca and Sinaia, in some
private gardens.
In orchard ecosystem conditions, 4 experiences have
been organised.
The selection of host-plants was made according to
their economical importance and the relationship
with particular aphids. It has been selected: plumtree
- Prunus domestica L. and apple-tree – Malus
domestica L.
The first experience has been organised at plum-tree
in 2 variants: applied micronized mica powder on
leaves (1st variant) and without reflective powder on
the control (2nd variant). The second one, at appleTHE
CONTROL OF PESTS IN ECOSYSTEMS BY UNCHEMICAL METHODS
Journal of Central 10 European Agriculture, Volume 4 (2002) No. 1
tree with the same variants. The third experience has
been organised at plum tree with visual traps
(coloured sticky panels) in 6 variants (white, silver,
light-green, emerald-green, light-blue, ultramarine) +
control (yellow). The fourth one, at apple-tree with
the same variants as to plum-tree.
About the infection with pest, to the plum-tree
infected with Hyalopterus pruni Geoff. (the grey
aphid of plum-tree), the average number of aphids
was about 150/leaf and to apple-tree infected with
Aphis pomi L. (the green aphid of apple-tree), the
average number of aphids was about 160/leaf.
The studies were made 1 week after removing or
attracting material’s application.
In the mountain grazing ecosystem, with cu Lolium
spp. and Trifolium spp., one experience has been
organised. We used five ceramic coloured plates
with water: 4 variants (white, green, blue) + the
witness (yellow).
After one week, we noted the results.
RESULTS AND DISSCUSION
Reffering to the experiences in the orchard
ecosystem with reflective materials, after the
experience developed at plum-tree, the result showed
the total efficacy of the reflective material
(micronized mica powder), determining the total
removal of aphids from the crown. The same result
was recorded at apple-tree experience with
micronized mica powder.
About the experiences with attracting materials
(coloured sticky panels), the results showed their
good efficacy.
The experience at plum-tree recorded a very good
efficacy of all variants.
The most effective traps were the ultramarine
(variant 6) with 700 captures, yellow (the control)
with 650 captures and emerald-green (variant 4) with
600 captures, followed by silver (variant 2) with 400
captures, light-green (variant 3) with 350 captures,
light-blue (variant 5) with 300 captures and white
(variant 1) with 300 captures.
At the other experience with visual traps at appletree
(the same variants as to plum-tree), the results
showed their very good efficacy.
The most effctive traps were the ultramarine (variant
6) with 600 captures, yellow (the control) with 500
captures and emerald-green (variant 4) with 450
captures, followed by silver (variant 2) with 400
captures, light-blue (variant 5) with 250 captures,
white (variant 1) with 200 captures and light-green
(variant 3) with 150 captures.
As a remark, all the visual traps captured excepting
the aphids, a lot of other insects from different orders
(Diptera, Homoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera,
Coleoptera).
Concerning the experience organised on the
mountain grazing ecosystem using coloured plates
with water as traps, all the variants recorded a very
good efficacy.
The most effective was the yellow trap (the control)
with 600 captured insects (Ord. Diptera,
Homoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera,
Coleoptera), followed by the blue one (variant 3)
with 570 captured insects (Ord. Diptera,
Hymenoptera, Homoptera, Lepidoptera), white
(variant 1) with 400 captured insects (Ord. Diptera,
Hymenoptera, Homoptera, Coleoptera) and green
(variant 2) with 380 captured insects (Ord. Diptera,
Hymenoptera, Homoptera, Coleoptera,
Lepidoptera).
CONCLUSIONS
From the experimental data analysis, after the 4
organised experiences in orchard ecosystem
conditions, it results that the use of a reflective
material (micronized mica powder) at plum-tree and
apple-tree, has a very good effect to remove the
aphids (Hyalopterus pruni Geoff. and Aphis pomi
L.), because of reflecting the light radiance with the
change of wave lenght, which disturb the insects.
Reffering to the experiences with attracting material
- visual traps (coloured sticky panels), the results
showed a very good efficacy of all variants,
capturing the aphids from a plum-tree and apple-tree
orchards. The best traps were the ultramarine, yellow
and emerald green.
As a remarck, a special attention needs the efficacy
of the silver trap (Alluminium made) captured
aphids, even it’s a reflective material.
BUNESCU H., GHIZDAVU I., MIHAI G., OLTEAN I., PORCA M., BODIŞ I.
Journal of Central European Agriculture, Volume 4 (2002) No. 1 11
Concerning the experience on a mountain grazing
ecosystem, using coloured plates with water as visual
traps, all the variants showed their very good
efficacy.
The researches concerning the use of some physical
unchemical methods for pests control, can be
continuated by application to other pests and to the
larger number of host-plant species.
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Bunescu Horia, horiabun@yahoo.com, correspondence author,
Iustin Ghizdavu,
Gheorghe Mihai,
Ion Oltean,
Monica Porca,
Ilonka Bodiş
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine,
Cluj-Napoca, Romania,
Phone: (40).264.196385, Fax: (40).264.193792
