ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE COLORED TRAPS EFFECTIVENESS IN MONITORING EPICOMETIS HIRTA (PODA, 1761) IN RAPESEED CROPS

In our country, the growing demand for rapeseed, both for the production of biodiesel, but especially for the food sector, together with the European Union's restrictions on genetically modified soybeans crops were the engine for the expansion of areas cultivated with rapeseed. The practice of super-intensive agriculture, together with farmers' orientation to profit, have had major consequences on biodiversity, causing a higher incidence of pests and an increased virulence of diseases. In this context, in recent years, in western Romania, where the rapeseed crops are extended over very large areas, an increase in pest populations was observed, mainly Epicometis hirta during the flowering period, producing great damage in years of invasion, reducing the crop yield. This paper presents the results of comparative studies regarding the effectiveness of different chromatic traps with attractant solution in monitoring the E. hirta species in 2021 in a rapeseed experimental field located at a farm in the Carani area (45°54′33″N/21°9′38″E), Timiș County. The number of individuals collected with blue colored traps was higher than in the case of those collected with white traps and statistically significant differences were found (p=0.009 < 0.05).