MODERN CONTROL OF PESTS OF PEAS SEEDLINGS WITH INSECTICIDAL ANTIOQUITES IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE SOUTHERN STEPPE OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The purpose to investigate the effectiveness of pea seed treatment with modern preparations to protect seedlings from major pests. Methods. The study was conducted during 2023–2025 in the conditions of VIP AGRO LLC, Odessa district, Odessa region, located in the Southern Steppe zone of Ukraine. Methods: field; observation; laboratory, statistical – to assess the reliability of the data. Results. The results of the studies show that all applied insecticidal pesticides significantly reduce the level of damage to pea seedlings compared to the control – 5–10 times in the early stages of development. The most effective in terms of the totality of indicators was thiamethoxam, which provided the best "starting" protection and the minimum damage coefficient in the initial phases. The pesticide with the active ingredient clothianidin was distinguished by high stability of action, while the variant based on imidacloprid provided a reliable, although somewhat less intense initial effect. In the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine, the use of modern insecticidal sprays provided a significant reduction in plant damage at all time points – 5–10 times compared to the control, which confirms their high efficiency in protecting pea seedlings. The highest initial efficiency was demonstrated by the variant based on the active substance thiamethoxam, which provided a minimum level of damage (2.1%) and a damage coefficient (R = 0.11) on the 1st day after emergence, as well as stable protection during the first 10 days of vegetation. The insecticide based on clothianidin was characterized by high stability of action throughout the entire observation period, which is due to its significant mobility in the plant and prolonged action. It was studied that the insecticidal spray based on the active substance imidacloprid provided effective pest control, but was inferior to the variant based on thiamethoxam in the speed of initial action. Conclusions. It was investigated that when using insecticidal seed treatments, the grain weight in the experimental variants ranged from 193.5 to 241.0 g, and the yield increase was 0.43–0.65 t/ha, respectively. The use of insecticidal seed treatments is an appropriate, environmentally sound and economically beneficial measure for protecting pea crops, which allows reducing the pesticide load on the environment and ensuring optimal conditions for crop formation.