Influence of the Surrounding Plants by Rapeseed Field on Population Density of Cabbage Aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae L.) and its Biological Enemies

Abstract

The result revealed that the peak of population density of cabbage aphid Brevicoryne brassicae was 523.20 individuals/plant on 21 March in edges of rapeseed field and was 1141.67 individuals/plant in center of the field. Results revealed that population density of cabbage aphid in rapeseed fields surrounded by cover crops significantly were low compared with that of monoculture rapeseed. The location of rapeseed plants (in edges or in center) significantly affected (p<0.05) the tested pest density, e.g. optimum density was 146.69 individuals/plant in the center of the field. Whereas was 93.32 in the edges. Effect of the interaction between location and surrounding vegetation was significant on aphid density, which their population density reached the maximum level, i.e. 325.4 individuals/ plant in the center of monoculture rapeseed field, Whereas minimum density was recorded, i.e. 46.74 individuals/plant in the rapeseed surrounded by clover. In regard to the population density of parasitoid Diaeretiella rapae, results showed that its density reached 1.70 mummies/ plant in the edges of rapeseed surrounded by onion. This treatment considerably exceeded the rapeseed surrounded by clover and monoculture rapeseed in which parasitoid density counted 0.45&0.60 mummies/ plant respectively. Population density of coccinellids ranged between 0.18 & 0.42 individuals/ plant for the edges or center of the fields of the treatments, without considerable differences between them..