- Selcuk Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences
- Vol: 32 Issue: 3
- Investigation of the Population Density and Distribution of the Common Cockchafer (Melolontha melolo...
Investigation of the Population Density and Distribution of the Common Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha L. Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) in Hazelnut Orchards of Duzce
Authors : Hatice Yildirim Aydinli, Salih Karabörklü, Volkan Aydinli
Pages : 333-338
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Publication Date : 2018-12-28
Article Type : Research Article
Abstract :Hazelnut is a very valuable agricultural product for our country economy. The protection of hazelnut from pest insects is very important. The common or May cockchafer, Melolontha melolontha L. (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) is among the pest insects damaging on the hazelnut. M. melolontha can be a major pest if appropriate climatic conditions occur. This study was carried out to investigate the larva population density and distribution of the M. melolontha in the hazelnut orchards of Duzce. For this purpose, a total of 32 hazelnut orchards were examined at different locations and elevations. It was found in 78.12% of the orchards. Its density estimated as 1.44 larvae in m2. The pest insect density fluctuated between 3.00 and 0.22 larvae in m2, depending on locations. On the other hand, there is no pest insect in some orchards, but in some orchards pest insect density was found to be 10 in m2. In 9.35% of the examined orchards, the economic threshold (3 larvae in m2) was exceeded. It was determined that the pest insect population density did not change with the elevation. The average head capsule width of the larvae obtained from the samples was 2.65, 4.22 and 8.54 mm for the first, second and third instar larvae, respectively and the body lengths of larval instars were 16.14, 25.05 and 37.68 mm, respectively. In this study, it was determined that population density of May cockchafer was lower than the economic threshold except for some local areas, and that the altitude and terrain characteristics did not affect the distribution of pest insect.Keywords : Fındık, Mayıs Böceği, Melolontha melolontha, Tarımsal zararlı, Popülasyon yoğunluğu