Control of Cereal Leaf-Miner in Cyprus

Abstract

THE tineid leaf-miner of cereals (Syringopais temperatella Led.) is a serious pest in certain areas of Cyprus and also in neighbouring countries, and many attempts in the past to establish control measures, chiefly by cultural methods, have not proved satisfactory, partly owing to the objection of the cultivators to any departure from their customary practices. Duplicated experiments with replicated plots carried out in various parts of Cyprus during the past three seasons have shown that Syringopais can be controlled by the use of D.D.T. and benzene hexachloride applied in various ways. The simplest treatment is the broadcasting of a benzene hexachloride dust on the soil at the time of sowing, so that it is mixed with the surface soil when the seed is covered and affects the æstivating first-stage larvæ before they commence attacking the crop. Various dosages have been tested: in the past season the application of a material containing 4.2 ounces of the γ-isomer per acre (294 gm. per hect.) gave spectacular control of a severe infestation on wheat and resulted in a grain yield 227 per cent of the untreated control, confirming similar results in the two previous years.