RASPBERRY PESTS N THE NON-BLACK SOIL ZONE OF RUSSIA
Widely spread in commercial and private orchards, raspberry is significantly damaged by plant-feeders on some years. The climatic changes and economic transformations in recent years have led to the enlargement of the pest group at the expense of rare species not previously recorded on raspberry in the study area. The research goal and objectives are to adjust the structure of the pest complex and peculiarities of development of raspberry pests under modern conditions to adjust the timing of insecticide application against the dominant phytophages. The studies were conducted from 2013 through 2021 in the Pskov and Tver Regions on six raspberry varieties throughout the biotic season. The standard methodology on determination and accounting of pest number, estimation of frequency of occurrence were used. Throughout the observation period, ten insect pest species were found in raspberry agrocenoses. Raspberry stemgall midge, raspberry crown borer, and rose buprestid were recorded for the first time as pests of raspberry in orchards of the Pskov and Tver Regions. Over the recent decade, the tendency to increase the density of populations of latent pests is observed. Raspberry beetle and strawberry weevil traditionally dominate commercial orchards. The damage of raspberry by these phytophages on the years of studies exceeded the economic threshold of harmfulness. The late-ripening varieties Kardinal and Patritsia were weakly damaged. The peculiarities of bioecology of the dominant phytophages were specified. The coincidence of development dates of both pests during the period of additional feeding and the beginning of oviposition at the stage of raspberry budding was proved. This period was determined as optimal for insecticide application against raspberry beetle and strawberry weevil.