EcoBug D5.2. 3) WP2. Task Field trials with cyanobacteria added experimental EcoBug pellets: their effect to the egg laying of the cabbage root fly and to the yield of cabbage crops in 2011 Prof. Dr. Pál Benedek, UWH (Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary)

Material Experimental cabbage crops Kohlrabi: cvs. Kossak (F1) Brassica oleracea (gongylodes group) Giant kohlrabi for storage. It can reach a diameter of up to 8", and the interior will still be sweet, delicious, and tender. Peeling of the woody "skin" is recommended. Will keep in cold storage for several months. Days to Maturity or Bloom: 80 White cabbage: cvs. Amazon (F1) Brassica oleracea (capitata group) Early – mid early white cabbage. Fusarium resistant hybrid. First of all for fresh consumption in summer but suitable for secondary cropping, too. The head is round and compact. Days to maturity: 85 days

Methods 1) Monitoring the flight activity of the cabbage root flies a) Csalomon® type baited traps (bait: allyl isothyocyanate) were used for monitoring fly activity b) four traps were placed randomly at the experimental area c) one day catch of traps were registered nine times – from 25 April till 18 May - during the flight period of the flies d) some 15 more traps were operated in the surrounding – 1 to 5 km apart of the experimental field – and were inspected 12 time from 19 April till 18 May

Methods (continued) Experimental area just after the pellet distribution Sand trap 2) Monitoring the eggs laying of the flies a) 12 "sand traps" were constructed at each plot in the two central rows of the plots one day after planting b) 3 sand traps were collected per plot at four sampling dates (9 May, 18 May, 25 May, 31 May) c) the eggs were extracted from the sand sample by floating d) also 3 plants were removed at each plot on each of the four sampling dates and eggs were carefully inspected on them

Methods (continued) Monitoring the damage and measuring the yield a) samples were taken at the two central rows in each plot b) the infestation was carefully inspected at harvest time c) it was planned to sort all plants according to a four level scale (but no damage was observed!) d) 10 plant were taken randomly from the two central rows at the three pots of the two kinds of treatments and of the untreated check at the harvest and their weight (mass) was measured e) yield was compared as the mean mass of cabbages according to the treatments

Results Stability of the pellets under field conditions As seen in the picture below pellet was fairly stable even some 2 moths after dispersal (dispersal: 25 April, photo: 22 June) Untreted plot: 22 June Treated plot: 22 June

Cabbage root fly flight activity in 2011 (Rábcakapi, Hungary) April 20 April 21 April 22 April 23 April 04 May 06 May 09 May 11 May 13 May 16 May 18 May Sampling dates Number of flies/trap/day Planting date► Pellet dispersal► Results (continued) Flight activity of the cabbage root fly in the surroundigs of the experimental area

Flight activity of the cabbage root fly at the experimental field Results (continued)

Cabbage crop Sampling date Cabbage root fly infestation (eggs, larvae) on and around cabbage plants pellet 2010 production pellet 2011 production untreated check on the soil* on the plant on the soil* on the plant on the soil* on the plant May Kohlrabi May May May May White May cabbage May May *infestation on the soil was sampled at the sand traps Cabbage root fly damage at the experimental plots (2011) No cabbage root fly damage was detected at any plant on the treated as well as on the untreated plots Cabbage root fly infestation at the experimental plots (2011) No cabbage crops are grown in spring and early summer at this farm because in this period they had always very serious cabbage roof fly damages!

Kohlrabi on an untreated plotKohlrabi on an a treated plot White cabbage on an untreated plotWhite cabbage on a treated plot Results (continued) The farmer stressed „he never had as beautiful cabbage crops as at the plots treated with EcoBug pellets”

Results (continued) 1) Field effect of EcoBug pellets on the yield of kohlrabi (Field trial 2011, Rábcakapi, Hungary) Cultivar tested: Kossak (F1) TreatmentnMass of kohlrabi heads (g): mean and standard error of mean Pellet 2010: 3 t/ha ± 108 g (a) * ~17.0 t/ha Pellet 2011: 3 t/ha ± 125 g (a) * ~ 16.5 t/ha Untreated check ± 132 g (b) * ~ 9.3 t/ha * Mean values with different characters differ significantly at the p = 5 % level

Results (continued) 2) Field effect of EcoBug pellets on the yield of white cabbage (Field trial 2011, Rábcakapi, Hungary) Cultivar tested: Amazon TreatmentnMass of white cabbage heads (g): mean and standard error of mean Pellet 2010: 3 t/ha ± 67 g (a) * ~ 22.4 t/ha Pellet 2011: 3 t/ha ± 89 g (a) * ~ 21.7 t/ha Untreated check ± 61 g (b) * ~ 18.5 t/ha * No significant difference between mean values at the p = 10 % level

Conclusions 1. The EcoBug pellet seems to be fairly stable as long as for 2 moths 2. The EcoBug pellet seems to repel all cabbage root flies from the treated crop field because no flies were captured by the baited traps in the experimental area including the utreated plots that were randomly distributed among the treated ones 3. No cabbage root fly damage was detected on the experimental area (including plots treated with EcoBug pellets and the untreated ones) so the EcoBug pellets seem to be effective against cabbage root fly damage under field conditions 4. The farmer stressed „he never had as beautiful cabbage crops as at the plots treated with EcoBug pellets”. So the effect of the pellets seem to be conspicuous to plant development

Conclusions 5. In the case of kohlrabi – which is a cabbage crop with high growing capacity – the yield (mass of kohlrabi heads) was greatly increased by the EcoBug pellets (heads on treated plots were twice larger than on untreated ones) and the differences were significant statistically 6. In the case of white cabbage – which is a cabbage crop with lower growing capacity - the plants were somewhat larger at the plots treated with EcoBug pellets than at untreated ones and the difference was significant statistically