Oviposition preference of Pieris brassicae (L) on different Brassica oleracea var. capitata L. cultivars

L. Metspalu, K. Hiiesaar, K. Jõgar, E. Švilponis, A. Ploomi, I. Kivimägi,A. Luik and N. Mens’hikova

Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences,
¹ Kreuzwaldi St, 51014, Tartu; e-mail: Luule.Metspalu@emu.ee

Abstract:

Abstract Cabbage White Butterfly, Pieris brassicae L. is widely distributed pest world wide and causes severe damage to white cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. alba L.). We studied oviposition preference of P. brassicae on six different cabbage cultivars in the field experiment. As in Estonia farmers grow rather numerous cabbage cultivars, the determination of more resistant cabbage cultivars is of great importance for farmers. Significantly more eggs were laid on the late cultivars ‘Krautkaizer’ (52% of all of the counted eggs) and ‘Turquoise’ (40%). The mid season cultivars ‘Krautman’, and ‘Lennox’ were chosen more or less to the same extent (2.5–5%). P. brassicae adults avoid the early cultivars ‘Parel’ and ‘Golden Acre’.

Key words:

oviposition preference, Pieris brassicae, white cabbage cultivars

Influence of white cabbage cultivars on oviposition preference of the Pieris rapae L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)

K. Jõgar, L. Metspalu, K. Hiiesaar, A. Ploomi, E. Svilponis, A. Kuusik,N. Men´shykova, I. Kivimägi and A. Luik

Department of Plant Protection, Institute Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, EstonianUniversity of Life Sciences; Kreutzwaldi 1, Tartu, 51014, Estonia;e-mail: katrin.jogar@emu.ee

Abstract:

The aim of the present study was to determine the oviposition preference of Small White (Pieris rapae L.) on five different white cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata f. alba) cultivars. The experiment showed that in first year butterflies preferred late-matured cultivar ′Krautkaizer′ as the site for oviposition; 35.8% of eggs counted during the observation period were gathered from this plant. The next choice was mid-season cultivar ′Lennox′ by 21.6%. In second year the preferred cultivars were late-matured ′Turquoise′ (26%), ′Lennox′ (22.1%) and ′Krautkaizer′ (20%). The egg laying activity was high during whole test period in both years of those variants.

Key words: