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Background: Halyomorpha halys Stål, commonly known as the brown marmorated stink bug, poses a significant threat to various crops, necessitating repeated seasonal insecticide applications for control. However, these methods carry environmental and human health risks. Considering these concerns, there is a pressing need to explore alternative, eco-friendly approaches to managing H. halys populations. This study sets out to investigate innovative strategies that minimize reliance on harmful chemicals while still effectively controlling the stink bug menace. By delving into the realm of sustainable pest management, the aim is to develop methods that strike a balance between pest control efficacy and environmental stewardship. This study aims to explore eco-friendly approaches to managing H. halys populations. Methods: The research involved monitoring the population dynamics of H. halys in the central zone of the Krasnodar Territory, Russia. It also evaluated the efficacy of local parasitic insects Pediobius cassidae and Anastatus bifasciatus in reducing pest infestations, conducted laboratory tests on the insecticidal properties of essential oils from plants such as wormwood, coriander, and Siberian fir, and performed field trials on biological control agents. Results: Infestation rates by parasitic insects remained relatively low, ranging from 5-10%. Laboratory experiments demonstrated the potent insecticidal properties of essential oils derived from wormwood, coriander, and Siberian fir. Field trials further confirmed significant mortality rates of H. halys specimens when exposed to biological control agents. Conclusions: The study underscores the potential efficacy of utilizing parasitic insects and plant-derived essential oils in managing H. halys populations. These findings offer practical insights for promoting sustainable agricultural practices in the central zone of the Krasnodar Territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybeans are a valuable crop in many countries of the world. To obtain stable yields, it is necessary to consider the activities of arthropods, both beneficial and destructive. The results of this study indicate high biodiversity. Most of the insects that feed on soy are polyphagous. In the years favorable for their development, omnivorous pests pose a serious threat to soybeans. The species composition of arthropods on soybeans of the Krasnodar and Stavropol territories of the Russian Federation during the years of the study was represented by 212 species (210 species of insects and 2 species of mites), including 101 species of phytophagous insects, which accounted for 48.5% of the total fauna and 109 species of entomophagous insects (51.7%). Most of the entomophages were parasitic Hymenoptera belonging to such families as Ichneumonidae, Braconidae, Aphidiidae, Eurytomidae, Ormyridae, Pteromalidae, Encyrtidae, Eupelmidae, Eulophidae, Elasmidae, Scelionidae, Platygastridae, and Chrysididae. The most numerous phytophagous insects damaging soybeans belonged to the Hemiptera order (34 out of 101 species of phytophages). The Lepidoptera order in the soybean agrocenosis was represented by 28 species (13.4% of the total fauna and 28.0% of the destructive fauna). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study discusses promising methods of biological control of the main corn pests, based on the integrated use of pheromones, entomopathogenic preparations and the release of parasitic hymenoptera Trichogramma evanescens West. and Habrobracon hebetor Say. Seasonal dynamics of flying and the number of cotton moth Helicoverpa armigera Hbn. and Kuban click beetle Agriotes tauricus Heyd. were determined by capturing males with pheromone traps. Species composition of corn pests, the dynamics of flying and the number of dominant pests of the cotton moth H. armigera and corn moth Os. nubilalis are determined, the optimal dates for protective measures (release of entomophages - Trichogramma and Habrobracon, treatment with biological products) are set. As a result of the field assessment of the biological control system of the main corn pests, we determined the satisfactory efficacy of the mutually suppressing techniques based on using Trichogramma and Habrobracon entomophages and biological preparations based on entomopathogenic bacteria and viruses. The corn bioprotection efficacy against the stem corn moth was 84 % in the early hybrid and 94 % in the late one, against the cotton moth – 82,2 - 77,8 %, respectively.

The article presents the results of studying the phenology and dynamics of the number of plane lace bug Corythucha ciliata Say. RAPD analysis of geographic populations of plane lace bug from various parts of Krasnodar Krai revealed a high level of DNA polymorphism, genetic diversity, genetic similarity and the absence of significant differences between the samples for these indicators. It shows that the majority of the genetic variation (90.2 %) is intrapopulation, while the interpopulation variation accounts for 9.8 % of the total. A significant drift of genes was revealed between the populations of C. ciliata (Nm = 4.56) and a high degree of genetic similarity between them at the intraspecific level. The analyzed insect samples are concluded to be subpopulations of one plane lace bug population.

Insect pest control is a key mechanism to give humans advantage over insects in competition for food resources. Bioinsecticides are highly virulent in target insects, can control their populations and prevent a sharp increase in their number. The bioinsecticide Virin HSK was created in FBRI SRC VB “Vector”. Helicoverpa zea single nuclear polyhedrosis virus strain HS-18 is the active basis for Virin HSK. Here we studied the effectiveness of Helicovex SK and Virin HSK bioinsecticides as cotton bollworms control agent in comparison with the chemical insecticide Pirinex, CE and determined the safety of these insectisides for the entomophage. The flow rate of the working fluid was 200 l/ha. Helicovex SK and Virin HSK protected soybean during bean ripening and corn in the period from wax ripeness to harvesting. Helicovex SK and Virin HSK had higher efficiency than Pirinex KE.

Modern plant biosecurity strategies include the use of a wide range of living organisms regulating the number, development and spread of harmful organisms at an economically safe level. We aimed to study the species composition of entomophages of the Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say and their efficiency in pest control. We observed the population dynamics of the stink bug Perillus bioculatus Fabr. and the Colorado potato beetle from 2013 to 2015. Besides, the species composition of entomophages of the Colorado potato beetle in Krasnodar Krai (a region in southwestern Russia) was researched in 2013–2015. The study showed that with a ratio of P. bioculatus: Colorado beetle 1:10–1:15, the efficiency of the entomophage is about 98%. In addition to P. bioculatus, there are other insects that feed on the Colorado potato beetle. Among them, it is worth noting Zicrona caerulea L., Polistes gallicus L., representatives of the Coccinellidae family, etc. The food base and parasitic activity of scelionid ovi-eaters and phasia flies are the main biotic factors influencing the number of predatory bugs. The possibility of combined use of P. bioculatus and preparations of biological origin was studied. The survival rate of adult P. bioculatus under the use of insecticides based on Bacillus thuringiensis var. thuringiensis and Streptomyces avermitilis (ex., Burg et al.) Kim and Goodfellow was 97% and 91%; that of older nymphs—58% and 52%, respectively. Chemical preparations destroyed all age stages of the predator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garden agrobiocenosis is one of the most complex biological systems and is characterized by the greatest stability and longevity of coenotic relationships. However, the systematic and long-term use of pesticides in fruit plantations leads to qualitative and quantitative changes in the phyto and zoophagous fauna. The consequence of the uncontrolled use of the chemical method is the formation of resistant pest populations. This study discusses the current trends in the biological control of the codling moth, which ensures high efficiency of crop protection with the combined use of pheromone disorientation, an entomopathogenic virus, and the parasitic hymenoptera Habrobracon hebetor Say. We've found that complementary methods of disrupting the sexual chemical communication of the pest, the use of the codling moth granulosis virus and the 2-3-times release of gabrobrakon allow you to keep the yield at the level of the chemical standard. The efficiency achieved is ensured by prolonged and uniform emission of pheromone and dispensers, high efficiency and selectivity of the baculovirus product Fermovirin CM and parasitic activity of the gabrobracon H. hebetor ectoparasite against middle and older ages caterpillars of the codling moth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cydia pomonella granulovirus is a natural pathogen for Cydia pomonella that is used as a biocontrol agent of insect populations. The study of granulovirus virulence is of particular interest since the development of resistance in natural populations of C. pomonella has been observed during the long-term use of the Mexican isolate CpGV. In our study, we present the genomes of 18 CpGV strains endemic to southern Russia and from Kazakhstan, as well as a strain included in the commercial preparation "Madex Twin", which were sequenced and analyzed. We performed comparative genomic analysis using several tools. From comparisons at the level of genes and protein products that are involved in the infection process of virosis, synonymous and missense substitution variants have been identified. The average nucleotide identity has demonstrated a high similarity with other granulovirus genomes of different geographic origins. Whole-genome alignment of the 18 genomes relative to the reference revealed regions of low similarity. Analysis of gene repertoire variation has shown that BZR GV 4, BZR GV 6, and BZR GV L-7 strains have been the closest in gene content to the commercial "Madex Twin" strain. We have confirmed two deletions using read depth coverage data in regions lacking genes shown by homology analysis for granuloviruses BZR GV L-4 and BZR GV L-6; however, they are not related to the known genes causing viral pathogenicity. Thus, we have isolated novel CpGV strains and analyzed their potential as strains producing highly effective bioinsecticides against C. pomonella .