Although it has been reported that WCR probably arrived in Serbia in 1989 or 1990 (Sivcev et al., 1996), it is likely that the beetle was intro- duced into this area in the early to mid-1980s (Edwards et al., 1998).
Based on the detection of the first WCR adults in nearby countries and on evidence of the first economic larval damage, it is assumed that a time period of about 5–6 years is needed for a population to build up to eco- nomically damaging levels. Therefore, it is estimated that the first beetles arrived in Serbia around the mid-1980s (Kiss et al., 2001), as had been surmized by Edwards et al. (1998).
The total area infested in Europe by WCR reached approximately 311,000 km2 by the end of the 2003 maize growing season (Table 2.1), with about 70,000 km2 of land area with economic adult activity (Table 2.2) and approximately 97 km2 of larval damage (Table 2.3). The spread distance of the WCR population varies by year and from region to region.
Within an area, a population may spread up to a distance of a few kilo- metres, as observed in Hungary in 1998, or 70–80 km, as seen in Hungary in 1999 and in Romania in 2001. The greatest spread of the WCR popula- tion has occurred in the Carpathian basin towards northern and eastern areas of the region, where the plains of Hungary, Slovak Republic and
Monitoring of Western Corn Rootworm in Europe 35
Table 2.1.Spread of western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgiferaLeConte, in Europe, 1998–2003 (area infested in km2).
Country 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Austria – – – – 990 3,000
Belgium – – – – – +
Bosnia-Herzegovina 1,500 10,000 12,000 13,000 15,000 16,000
Bulgaria 200 1,000 3,000 7,000 8,500 12,000
Croatia 10,500 12,750 14,000 15,500 19,000 23,500
Czech Republic – – – – + +
France – – – – + +
Hungary 30,000 40,000 50,000 70,000 78,000 93,000
Italy 11 3 5 4,000 7,000 10,000
The Netherlands – – – – – +
Romania 12,000 14,000 35,000 60,000 65,000 65,000
Serbia and
Montenegroa 61,400 63,000 67,500 72,400 72,500 73,000
Slovak Republic – – 500 6,300 9,531 10,062
Switzerland – – + 740 1,654 1,654
Ukraine – – – 60 575 3,000
UK +
Total 115,600 140,750 182,000 249,000 277,750 310,216
aFormerly the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
+, detected only or non-contiguous population.
chap02.qxd 24/11/04 1:36 PM Page 35
Romania or river valleys, such as the Mures River in Romania, favour beetle spread.
36 J. Kiss et al.
Table 2.2.Area of western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgiferaLeConte, economic adult activityain Europe, 1998–2003 (km2).
Country 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Austria – – – – PNE PNE
Belgium – – – – – PNE
Bosnia-Herzegovina PNE PNE PNE PNE PNE PNE
Bulgaria PNE PNE PNE PNE PNE PNE
Croatia PNE PNE 2 4,000 5,000 7,500
Czech Republic – – – – PNE PNE
France – – – – PNE PNE
Hungary PNE PNE 2 10,000 20,000 30,000
Italy PNE PNE PNE PNE 30 PNE
The Netherlands – – – – – PNE
Romania PNE PNE 5 11,000 11,000 13,000
Serbia and
Montenegrob 14,000 16,000 26,500 26,500 28,000 20,000
Slovak Republic – – PNE PNE PNE PNE
Switzerland – – PNE PNE PNE PNE
Ukraine – – – PNE PNE PNE
United Kingdom PNE
Total 14,000 16,000 26,509 51,500 64,030 70,500
aEconomic adult activity refers to a WCR adult population that can result in economic larval damage to maize in the subsequent year.
bFormerly the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
PNE, present, but no economic damage reported.
Table 2.3.Total area of western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgiferaLeConte, economic larval damage (over 3 of Iowa 1–6 scale) in maize fields in Europe, 1998–2003 (km2).
Country 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Croatia PNE PNE + + 1 6
Hungary PNE PNE 10 31 54 60
Italy PNE PNE PNE PNE + PNE
Romania PNE PNE 1 1 1 1
Serbia and
Montenegroa 455 305 500 10 10 30
Total 455 305 511 42 66 97
aFormerly the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
PNE, present, but no economic damage reported; +, economic larval damage on some fields.
Experience in Europe has shown that the larger the size of the infested area the greater the possibility of a jumping-spread movement of WCR beyond the actual spread line. This has occurred in such areas as the Lombardy region in northern Italy, along with the canton Ticino in southern Switzerland in 2000, north-western Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2001, in the Czech Republic and near Paris, France, in 2002 and the UK, Belgium and The Netherlands in 2003. The jumping-spread ability of WCR poses the risk of establishment of WCR in regions with suitable con- ditions for WCR far beyond the established spread line and thus could result in detection delays anywhere in Europe where maize is grown and monitoring is not carried out.
The permanent monitoring sites located in FAO Network partner countries have allowed for the measurement of population fluctuations over the years. It has been shown that WCR populations at permanent monitoring sites may increase by two to three times when compared to the previous year, but may decrease as well. Decreases are most probably the effect of the cumulative consequences of unfavourable weather con- ditions for WCR, such as low precipitation and high temperatures, and agronomic practices, such as growing maize in crop rotation with non- host crops.
Transportation means, packaging materials (especially of yellow colour) and light sources in areas where WCR is found may attract WCR adults and can contribute to their being moved from region to region.
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