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Integrated Pest Management in Czechoslovakia and its Perspectives VLADiMfR LANDA South Bohemian Biological Center (CSAV) LUDOvfx WEISMANN Center for Biological and Ecological Sciences (SAV) Plant protection has undergone a substantial change within one generation. This is due to intensification of agriculture, to new tech- nologies, to environmental changes, and to changes in our lifestyle. The extensive practice of repeated use of pesticides has ruined the already simplified, often degraded agrobiocoenoses and adjacent biocoenoses, and in many cases has improved the life conditions of specialized pests. Most insect pests have developed resistance, and the spectrum of pests has changed. Residues of pesticides are increasing and, consequently, so are health hazards to humans and the environment. Methods of plant protection have been changing accordingly, with an emphasis on biological and ecological approaches. The strat- egy of a comprehensive approach using a wide range of methods is gradually being recognized as a much more effective form of plant protection than traditional practices, and this approach offers very good prospects. We are beginning to understand that plant protec- tion is not a simple matter of intensification, but can be a stabilizing factor for harvests with harvest size determined by a complex of ecological and related circumstances. This principle can be applied through integrated protection of plants. The first attempts at integrated plant pest control in Czechoslo- vakia were undertaken 30 years ago, at a time when chemical methods seemed to represent the ultimate solution in pest control (Rosicky, Weiser 1951). The staff members of the newly founded Institute of 147
148 Entomology of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences (CSAV) gath- ered new information on general and applied entomology in order to have a solid basis for the development of new and more effective methods of controlling insect populations detrimental to agricultural production and forestry, taking into account possible effects on the environment (V. Landa et al. 1956,1958, Skuhravy et al. 1983, Kalina et al. 1985). They studied the hormonal regulation of insect ontogeny and reproduction (Slama et al. 1974); intraspecies system of commu- nication, population dynamics, and relationships of entomocoenoses (Skuhravy, Novak 1957, Skuhravy et al. 1957); resistance to insec- ticides (Hrdy et al. 1968); pathogens of insect pests (Weiser 1966); parasites and predators (Stary 1970, Hodek 1973); and insect ecol- ogy. The results have been applied to integrated plant protection (Hrdy, Hrdlickova 1981). Using these results, the Institute developed several biologically active compounds (juvenoids, sterilants), biorational means of pest management (pheromones), and microbiological preparations (Ba- turin, Boverol). These products have been developed in collaboration with other Czechoslovak institutes, particularly the CSAV Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry. Methods were also devel- oped for the mass rearing of parasites and predators (Havelka 1978), as well as for monitoring of and selective protection from various species of phytophagous insects and mites on apple orchards, hops, and greenhouse vegetables. Questions concerning the effects of bio- logically active compunds on insect reproduction have been studied extenseively at the Institute of Entomology. The results have been used as a basis for the study of chemosterilants and sterilization (V. Landa et al. 1965,1969,1971). The Institute of Experimental Phytopathology and Entomology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) Center for Biological and Ecological Sciences specializes in the study of phytopathogenic and phytophagous organisms and the relationships among them (Weis- mann 1962), host organisms and the environment (Blahutiak 1982), and the autecological, demecological, and synecological aspects of virus and fungus diseases of insect pests, their parasites, and their predators (Weismann, Huba 1966). Similar ecological studies have been conducted in the CSAV Research Institute of Plant Protection at Praha-RuzynS and in the Plant Protection Departments of the Faculties of Agriculture in Prague, Ceske Budejovice, Brno, and Ni- tra. Together, these studies provide the information necessary for
149 determining ecological thresholds and for recognizing the circum- stances under which these thresholds may be exceeded. Methods of long-term and short-term forecasting and monitoring have been elab- orated, and the ecological foundations of integrated plant protection have been established (Huba 1972,1973, Kralovifc et al. 1975). Studies of defensive responses and resistance of plants to fungal diseases and of the mechanisms of interaction between the virulence genes of phytopathogenic fungi and resistance genes of host plants contribute to the application of genetic methods of protection. Such studies are conducted in the SAY Center for Biological and Ecological Sciences and in the Research Institute of Plant Protection at Praha- RuzynS. Methods of meristematic tissue and embryonic cultivation developed in the CSAV Institute of Experimental Botany and in government research institutes enable us to obtain healthy, virus- free seedlings, and are already used for biological protection of plants against viral diseases (Novak 1987). Agrotechnical methods of plant protection now receive more at- tention in several specialized institutes and plant production depart- ments of the Agricultural Universities. The object of this research is to create ecological conditions for the physiological activity of plants which enhance their resistance to pests or create conditions that retard the development of pests. The present standard methods of integrated plant protection in Czechoslovakia do not allow us to take more rational measures in regulating the occurrence of weeds in agroecosystems. We have no institute specializing in this field. Botanical institutes of the CSAV and SAV as well as some specialized institutes for plant protection concentrate on the application of herbicides, on agrotechnical meth- ods, on the resistance of weeds to herbicides, and on changes in the spectra of species. Unfortunately, we do not have enough ecological data on the functional relationship between weeds and crops with regard to harvest, nor do we have enough data to determine and assess economic thresholds. However, ecological studies of weeds are currently underway. An important step in advancing regulated multicomponential plant protection was the Czechoslovak fundamental research project "Integrated Protection of Cultured Plants," which was carried out between 1981 and 1985 (Weismann 1986). Its aim was to bring exist- ing specialized studies to the application level and to synthesize and apply their results in a program of integrated plant protection. The
150 first phase of the project was designed to introduce regulated mul- tilateral protection of selected crops using lower doses of pesticides. The next step was to ensure production and application of biopes- ticides and other biorational preparations and bioagents for plant protection. These preparations were developed in the laboratories of the CSAV, SAV, and various universities. Satisfactory results were achieved in both phases of this research. Five bioinsecticides have resulted from the project. They were developed in the Institute of Entomology and are based on Bacillus thuringiensis (Vaiikova, Purrini 1979; Weiser, Prasertphon 1984), Beauveria bassiana (SamSinakova et al. 1981), Verticilium lecanii and Aschersonia aleyrodis (Weiser 1983). Also, biorational prepara- tions and devices such as pheromone traps IT-Etokap, CP-Etokap, and Ferokap-EP (Zumr 1987) were jointly developed in the CSAV Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry and the CSAV In- stitute of Entomology. Visual insect traps were designed in the SAV Center for Biological and Ecological Sciences. Methods of mass rear- ing, distribution, and application of three species of predators and parasitoids were developed at the Agronomy Faculty of the Agri- cultural University at Ceske Budejovice, at the CSAV Institute of Entomology, and at the SAV Center for Biological and Ecological Sciences. Moreover, two biopreparations based on Pseudomonas putida 11 and Agrobacterium radiobacter for bacterization of sugar beet and wheat seeds to prevent root diseases were developed in the CSAV Mi- crobiological Institute and the Research Institute of Plant Production at Praha-Ruzynfi. Several practical applications of the project are new methods for diagnostics and monitoring of certain pests. The first variants of integrated protection of sugar beets, wheat, alfalfa, hops, plum and apple orchards, and greenhouse vegetables have been developed at the crop level. The highest and most complete form of integrated protection has been achieved in this country with cucum- bers and tomatoes in greenhouses and with sugar beets. The method of complete protection of greenhouse cropsâmainly cucumbers and tomatoesâwas jointly developed and applied in prac- tice by the CSAV Institute of Entomology, the Agronomy Faculty of the Agricultural University at Ceske Budejovice, and the agricul- tural cooperative at Chelfiice. It consists principally of the utilization of four biological agents: Phytosciulus persimilis, Encarsia formosa, Aphidoletes aphidimyza, and Verticilium lecanii (Khalil, Taborsky 1982, Khalil et al. 1985). They are applied according to a program
151 which depends on the specific ecological situation. These biologi- cal agents are produced by the agricultural cooperative at Chelcice with the help of the Agronomy Faculty of the Agricultural Univer- sity at Ceske Budejovice, and they are applied by employees of the cooperative. Greenhouse farming has been developing rapidly in Czechoslo- vakia. Cucumbers and tomatoes are grown on 40 hectares in Bohemia and Moravia, and one-half of this acreage was treated with biologi- cal agents in 1986. On the 20-hectare experimental area insecticides were applied only once at the beginning or not at all (Z. Landa 1984). The agricultural cooperative at ChelCice is now building large labo- ratories which will facilitate the use of biological methods for plant protection in greenhouses and orchards. They are also being used gradually for the protection of other crops. The integrated protection of sugar beets is based on a study of the present state of sugar beets in Czechoslovakia which was con- ducted at the SAV Center for Biological and Ecological Sciences. Suitable beet-growing regions were reevaluated from the agroeco- logical point of view, and the effects of sowing methods for crops, agricultural techniques, occurrence of weeds, chemical treatment, re- sistance of plants, and their physiological state and ontogeny were assessed. Also assessed were the effects of ecological factors related to human activities on the development of overabundance and on nox- iousness of viruses and fungi-causing diseases of animal pests. The economic importance of the complex of diseases and pests under dif- ferent ecological conditions was reevaluated and displayed on maps. Individual species were classified in three categories of occurrence: annual, occasional, and potentially harmful. The main ecological factors and their regulation were evaluated. Prognoses, economic thresholds, and methods of monitoring were also determined. Con- crete instructions, together with the first variant of multicomponent protection of sugar beets, have been based on the synthesis of these data. The first variant also serves as a model for working out methods of multicomponent protection of other crops. The following approaches are particularly important for reducing chemical use in agriculture and for obtaining the foundation for promoting the natural development of parasites and predators: ⢠Development of genetic methods which would enable us to keep pests under respective economic thresholds by introducing lethal genes into their populations;
152 ⢠Regulation of reproduction either by reduction of insect pests through sterilization or by enhancing the reproductive capacity of predators and parasites; ⢠Collection of more information about weeds and herbicides, es- pecially with regard to the ecological relations between weeds and crops to gradually reduce the use of herbicides with adverse effects; ⢠Utilization of the results of plant breeding for resistance, above all to fungal diseases. The effects of nonagressive strains of phytopathogens should also be studied to determine defensive responses. ⢠A wider use of meristem and tissue cultures in order to obtain virus-free seedlings. The production and application of mono- clonal antidotes should be extended to aid the diagnostics of virus diseases. ⢠Pesticide research focused on specific active compounds, al- though this may be seen as counterproductive by manufacturers. New biologically active compounds (juvenoids, sterilants, insect growth regulators) should be used where they are suitable and where their application is preferable to conventional insecticides. Effective and carefully handled plant protection is an important aspect of the conservation and recovery of the environment. Inte- grated protection is a means of ensuring this, as it includes all the prerequisites for rapid qualitative progress. It has the capacity to use existing biological methods as well as new ones based on new find- ings of detrimental factors, relationships within agrocoenoses, and agrotechnical methods and technologies offered by industry. New results of scientific research will be applied as widely as possible, in- cluding results from molecular biology, biotechnology, mathematical modelling, and genetics. There are various promising lines of action which should be given support, such as: ⢠Searching for new microbiological preparations for application in plant protection; selection of active strains and strains with specific effects; searching for microorganisms which produce bio- logically active substances (metabolites) which can be the basis for new bioinsecticides, herbicides, and fungicides; ⢠Introduction of new predators and parasites, and enhancement of their effectiveness by selecting and improving new strains;
153 ⢠Design and improvement of the models of evolving relations between parasites and predators to enable us to anticipate the development of a pest species in a specific area under specific conditions; ⢠Extension of the production and use of pheromones and other semiochemicals which make chemical treatment more effective. All kinds of possible interferences with insect behavioral patterns should be used for direct protection of crops. ⢠Improvement of our knowledge of the effects of pesticides on non- target organisms and whole biocenoses. We should lend support to the work of SGOMSEC on "Methods for Assessing Adverse Effects of Pesticides on Non-Target Organisms." A workshop on this subject will be held at Ceske Budejovice in 1988, and a volume with this title will be published in the SCOPE series. ⢠Improvement of technical standards for the application of pes- ticides in order to reduce doses of pesticides without impairing their effectiveness. The most important task of integrated plant protection is to assert its ecological importance in relation to the environment. It is not enough to concentrate on the pest; the whole complexâ including the crop, pest, structure, and development of the cultivated landscapeâmust be taken into account. These are only a few examples and ideas documenting that progress in plant protection is feasible. Although agricultural pro- duction will be intensified, its detrimental impact on the environment can still be reduced. We believe that scientific resources are great in this field and that collaboration of Czechoslovak scientists with scientists in the United States could bring important results. REFERENCES Dlahutiak, A. 1982. Selectivity of pesticides in relation to the parasites of some scale insects and aphids (in Slovak). Veda SAV, Bratislava, Ser. A, 140 pp. Hodek, I., 1973: Biology of CoednelKdae. Academia, Praha, 260 pp. Hrdy, I., H. Hrdliikova (eds.) 1981. Integrated pest and disease control in hops. IOBC/WPRS Bull. 4:1-179. Hrdy, I., J. Hurkova, J. Zeleny. 1968. Resistance of arthropod pests in agricul- ture to pesticides (in Csech). Agrochemia, 8:257-261. Huba, A., 1972. New approaches to plant protection (in Slovak). In: Sbornk vedeckych prac le IV. celost. konfer. o ochrane rostlin. 1. Praha, Ust. ved.-techn. inform.:5-13.
154 Huba A., 1973. Integrated protection of cereals under conditions of large-scale growing (in Slovak). In: Zbornk referatov > I. konferenci o chorobach obilnn. Piestany, VURV:9-14. Kalina, F., V. Skuhravy et al. 1985. Large bud moths (in Czech). Stat. Zemed. Nakladatelstv. Praha. 185 pp. Khalil S. K., V. Taborsky. 1982. The effect of different media on the growth and sporulation of entomopathogenic fungus Verticillium Itcanii (Zimm.) viegat. Agricultura Tropica et Subtropica, Univers. Agriculture. Prague. 15:251-268. Khalil S. K., J. BartoS, Z. Landa. 1985. Effectiveness of Verticillium Itcanii to reduce populations of aphids under glasshouse and field conditions. Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Environment 12:151-156. Kralovii, J. et al. 1975. Protection of crops (in Slovak). Prroda, Bratislava, 596 pp. Landa, V., K. Novak, V. Skuhrav^. 1956. Contributions to the fight against the larvae of field cockchafers (Mdolontha mclolontha L.) in agricultural cultivated fields. Zool. listy 5:125-134. Landa, V., I. Hrdy, K. Novak, V. Skuhravf. 1958. Results of the study of the control of cockchafers in Czechoslovakia. Zoologiceskj lurnal 37:394-402. Landa, V., B. Rezabova. 1965. The effect of chemosterilants on the development of reproductive organs of insects. Proc. XII Int. Cong. Ent. London. 1964: 516-517. Landa, V., B. Rezabova. 1969. Anwendung von Chemosterilantien bei der Insek- tenbekampfung und die in der Tschechoslowakischen Sozialistichen Repub- lik auf diesem Gebiet bisher durchgefuhurte Forschung. Tagungsberichte Nr. 80:101-104. Deutsche Akademie der Landwirtschaftswissenschaften lu Berlin. Landa, V., S. Matolin. 1971. Effects of chemosterilants on reproductive organs and embryogenesis in insects. IAEA, Sterility Principle for Insect Control or Eradication. 173-182. Landa, Z. 1984. Control of Trialeurodes vaporariorum WESTW. in programs of integrated protection of cucumbers in glasshouses against the complex of animal pests (in Czech). Zahradnctvo 12:550-551. Novak, F. J. 1987: Explantate cultures and their application to plant breeding. Academia. Praha. (in press). Rosicky, B., J. Weiser. 1951. Modern insecticides (in Czech). Academia, Prague. SamSinakova, A., S. Kalalova, V. Vlcek, J. Kybal. 1981. Mass production of Bcauveria battiana for regulation of Leptinotarsa deccmlineata populations. J. Invertebr. Pathol., 38:169-174. Skuhrav^, V., K. Novak. 1957. The entomofauna of potato fields and their development (in Czech). Rozpravy CSAV, 67: 50 pp. Skuhravy, V., K. Novak. P. Star^. 1957. Clover entomofauna (Th/o/ium praterue L.) and their development (in Czech). Rozpravy CSAV 69:82 pp. Skuhravy, V., M. Skuhrava et al. 1983. Haplodisplosis marginata. Entomol. ust. a okr. poln. sprava, Martin, 32 pp. Slama, K., M. Romailuk, F. Sorm. 1974. Insect hormones and bioanalogues. Springer-Verlag, Vienna, New York, London, 477 pp. Stary, P. 1970: Biology of aphid parasites (Hymenoptera: Aphididae) with respect to integrated control. Series Entomologica, 6: 643 pp. The Hague.
155 Vankova, J., K. Purrini. 1979. Natural epizootics by bacilli of the species Bacillus thuringicruit and B. eereui. Z. angew. Entomol., 88:216-221. Weismann, L. 1962. Population dynamics of Aphu (Doralis) fabae Scop, as the basis of methods for the signalisation of terms in sugar beet protection (in Slovak). In: Veda pomaha polnohospodarstvu. 8, Bratislava, SVLP, 157-172. Weismann, L. 1986. Integrated protection of crops during the seventh five-year plan (in Slovak). SAV, Centrum biologicko-ekologickych vied, 43 pp. Weismann, L., A. Huba. 1966. The importance to plant protection of exper- imental ecology of insects (in Slovak). In: Teoretick£ laklady biologic v. polnohospodarstve. Cast rastlinna. (Aphis fabae Scop.). Vyd. SAV, Bratislava. 301 pp. Weiser, J. 1966. Insect diseases (in Ciech). Academia. Praha. 565 pp. Weiser, J. 1983. Microbial preparations in plant protection in Czechoslovakia (in Czech). Proc. IXth CS Plant Protection Conference, Brno:45-48. Weiser, J., S. Prasertphon. 1984. Entomopathogenic spore formers from soil samples of mosquito habitats in Northern Nigeria. Zbl. Mikrobiol., 139:49- 55. Zumr, V. 1987. Reduction of mass outbreaks in spruce beetle, Ipt typographut (L.) (Coleoptcra, Seolytidae) by pheromone traps. Lesnictv, 33:49-64.
