CURRENT KNOWLEDGE REGARDING THE SOIL PESTS AND THEIR CONTROL OPTIONS IN MAIZE CROPS FROM SOUTHERN ROMANIA
Raluca Gabriela Georgescu, Ionuț Cristian Popa, Mădălina Rădulea, Andrei Chiriloaie-Palade, Maria Iamandei
Abstract: With an annual cultivated surface of 2.2 to 2.7 million hectares, maize is the most important cereal crop in Romania, followed by wheat and barley. Yields of maize crops have considerably fluctuation between years, mainly due to abiotic factors like drought and biotic factors represented by pest insects. Maize is attacked by a large number of arthropods, the southern area of Romania being particularly affected by the attack of some harmful species such as Tanymecus dilaticollis, Opatrum sabulosum, and different complexes of wireworms that can compromise crops, on large areas, from the first stages of crop vegetation. The paper reviews the recent literature on general distribution and economic importance of main soil-dwelling pests in relation to maize production. Also, control methods that can be used for their integrated management are discussed.
Key words: soil pests, maize crops, IPM, biological control