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Research on Crops

Entomophages and their role in regulating crop pest abundance 


DOI: 10.31830/2348-7542.2026.ROC-1333    | Article Id: ROC-1333 | Page : 611-618
Citation :- Entomophages and their role in regulating crop pest abundance. Res. Crop. 27: 611-618
VLADIMIR ISMAILOV, DARIA KLIMENKO AND ALEXANDER KOMANTSEV v.ya.ismailov@mymail.academy
Address : Federal Scientific Center for Biological Plant Protection, 62 Kalinina str., Krasnodar, 350039, Russia
Submitted Date : 9-06-2026
Accepted Date : 19-08-2026
Online Published:

Abstract

The activation and natural reproduction of entomophages play an important role in the regulation of the number of phytophages in crop cenoses making it possible to abandon chemical treatments. The development of ecological and organic technologies for the cultivation of grain and row crops is growing in significance for preserving and maintaining environmental stability and producing clean food. The purpose of this research was to study the regulatory role of entomophages of the main pests of grain and row crops as part of pesticide-free protection in organic crop production. The studies were carried out in 2024-2025 based on an experimental scientific crop rotation of the Federal Scientific Center for Biological Plant Protection (Krasnodar, Russia) and at the main organic farm of Urozhainoe OJSC, Stavropol Krai. In the biocontrol of the sunn pest, a significant role is played by egg parasites of the genus Telenomus (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae), the most common and effective of which are the species Trissolcus grandis Thomson and Telenomus chloropus Thomson. Imagoes of the sunn pest Eurygaster integriceps were infested with two species – the golden phasia Clytiomyia helluo F. and the gray phasia Alophora subcoleopterata L. The golden and gray phasias infested, respectively, 64.2% and 35.7% of imagoes in 2024 and 73.6% and 26.3% in 2025. The abundance of aphidophages was high, with Coccinella septempunctata L. as the dominant bioindicator species. In all collections throughout the growing season, the seven-spotted ladybird accounted for 62.3% of all Coccinellidae, the 14-spotted ladybird Propylea quatuordecimpunctata L – for 18.9%, and Adalia bipunctata L – for 3.6%. Coccinellidae made up the largest share of the total number of entomophages – 85.8%. Determination of the species composition of reproducible populations of oviparasites established that Trichogramma pintoi amounted to 4%, and a significant share was made up by the species T. dendrolimi (72%) and T. evanescens (24%). A method has been developed for the conservation and accumulation of natural entomophage populations at the level of agroecosystems, including the early introduction of mixed (semi-species) Trichogramma populations into agricultural and natural cenoses with an additional food base (Sitotroga eggs).

Keywords

Activation and reproduction of entomophages biodiversity cereals and row crops entomophages natural biocenotic regulation phytophages 

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