Contact toxicity of some foliar fungicide sprays to three species of polyphagous predators found in cereal fields.

Abstract

Polyphagous predators are present in cereal fields in the spring and summer (I) where they are considered to be responsible for decreases in the levels of cereal aphid populations (2). The carabids Agonum dorsale (Pont.) and Demetrias atricapillus (L.) and the staphylinid Tachyporus chrysomelinus  (L.) are considered as the more important species among the group of polyphagous predators (3) (4).

Foliar fungicide sprays are used extensively in the cereal crop to control cereal leaf diseases at times when these predators are most active and there is increasing evidence that many of these fungicides have an insecticidal action (5). Recent trends towards the increasing use of fungicide sprays (6) has led to the need for simple laboratory tests to screen the effects of foliar fungicides on some of the more important predators.