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• Occurrence and damage of the alfalfa root longhorn beetle (Plagionotus floralis Pallas, 1773) in old alfalfa stands in Hungary

  82-88

  András Bozsik

  Views:

  116

  The alfalfa root longhorn beetle is a pest of small importance in old alfalfa stands. It is rarely cited in the international, national literature, or even mentioned in specialized manuels. Plagionotus floralis is common in Hungary but its population density is low. It is a polyphagous species but it has importance - regarding the references – only in alfalfa. This paper analyses data gained in old alfalfa fields at two different regions of the country (Máriabesnyő, Debrecen). Damage of P. floralis was 56% in the roots of an 8-year-old stand in Máriabesnyő. Lenghts of tunnels were between 3 and 22 cm. In spite of the tunnels the alfalfa plants were viable. There was no root longhorn beetle in the 15-year-old Debrecen stand, however it has been found former in the region. The reason for the important density of P. floralis in Máriabesnyő could be the considerable diversity and covering of flowering weeds around the field. Adults of P. floralis feed on flower pollen and nectar. As to the Debrecen area,weeds were cut regularly, so the edge vegetation was poor. Present conditions (no pest control on alfalfa fields, overuse of old and failing alfalfa stands, many untrained growers) favour the reproduction and possible damage of alfalfa root longhorn beetle. 

• Slight damage of the great green bush-cricket (Tettigonia viridissima) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) in some Hungarian maize fields

  65-70

  András Bozsik

  Views:

  245

  Characteristic cricket damage was observed in two maize fields in northern Hungary, at Máriabesnyő, a district of Gödöllő. The damage level of the two fields did not differ significantly and continual monitoring of field1 showed also a stable infestation level. T. viridissima nymphs and a female were found and observed as feeding on maize plants. The crickets must have disappeared after 18.07. because no more fresh damage was observed after this date. The chewing’s number about on one and two % of the examined plants amounted one and six a plant and their size was between one and eight cm². This infestation was quite little and might have caused apparently no yield loss. Compared this damage of T. viridissima with former Hungarian experience, this was the usual negligible damage despite the explicit draught in July and August 2015. As regards the global warming, orthopteran damage may be more obvious in the future.