Method for controlling summer shoots of Gannan navel oranges by using insects

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of agricultural biological control, and discloses a method for controlling summer shoots of Gannan navel oranges by insects, which comprises the following steps: S1, in the early germination stage of the summer shoots of the navel oranges in early May, putting 3-4 Acrida cinerea imagoes every 8m according to the projection area of a tree crown; s2, in the summer shoot germination peak period in the first ten days of June, the release amount of acrida cinerea is increased to 6-8 acrida cinerea per 8 m. By means of shoot control mechanism innovation, grasshoppers specifically gnaw young shoot growing points, side bud germination is prevented from being stimulated, and the vicious circle of'more and more wipe 'is blocked from the biological level; the shoot control efficiency is increased, the shoot control rate can reach 99.2% or above by the putting amount of 3-4 shoots per 8m, and the whole summer shoot growing period is covered continuously and periodically; the feeding rate of old leaves is strictly controlled to be 3.6% or below, the influence on the photosynthesis of a tree body is avoided, a precise shoot control technology is achieved based on biological habits, efficient and safe shoot control treatment is achieved, the survival conditions of diaphorina citri are worsened, the occurrence of the Huanglongbing is reduced, and the economic benefits of navel orange planting are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of agricultural biological control, and specifically relates to a method for controlling the summer shoots of Gannan navel oranges by utilizing insects. Background Art

[0002] Citrus Huanglongbing (Huanglongbing) is a devastating disease affecting the global citrus industry. Citrus psyllids are the sole vector, and Huanglongbing has severely impacted the safety of the navel orange industry in southern Jiangxi. Adult psyllids quickly acquire the fungus after feeding on diseased trees and are capable of transmitting the disease. Their reproduction is highly dependent on new shoot tissue: adults lay eggs only in young shoots, and nymphs require new shoots to complete their development.

[0003] Therefore, the current effective means of prevention and control is shoot control, but current shoot control technology has serious flaws: on the one hand, manual shoot removal requires high-frequency operation, and stimulates the germination of lateral buds, forming a vicious cycle of "the more you remove, the more buds there are." On the other hand, chemical shoot control agents such as paclobutrazol have a shoot control rate of only 48-65%, and cause side effects such as leaf deformity and fruit damage. Shoot-killing agents can even cause retaliatory sprouting after 15-20 days. As the climate warms, the activity period of psyllids is prolonged, and traditional shoot control methods can no longer meet the needs. There is an urgent need to develop innovative shoot control technologies that are highly efficient, ecologically safe, and operationally sustainable. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for controlling the summer shoots of Gannan navel oranges by utilizing insects, so as to solve the problems raised in the above-mentioned background technology.

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a method for controlling the summer shoots of Gannan navel oranges using insects, comprising the following steps: S1. In early May, when the summer shoots of navel oranges begin to sprout, release 3-4 adult Chinese grasshoppers for every 8m² of tree crown projection area. S2. During the peak period of summer shoot germination in early June, increase the number of Chinese grasshoppers to 6-8 per 8m². S3. Before and during the release period, weeds were removed from the orchard floor to force the Chinese grasshoppers to feed on the new shoots of navel oranges; S4: Continue to control until the autumn shoots sprout in August; S5. Monitor the insect population density every 5 days to maintain the effective control population size.

[0006] Preferably, the Chinese grasshopper is a herbivorous insect, and its breeding method includes: (1) establishing a breeding room with a length of 6m × width of 3m × height of 3m, and covering the four sides and the top with a transparent polyethylene film and a 20-mesh insect-proof gauze; (2) planting kudzu vine and sedge as food in the breeding room in early August; (3) releasing nymphs and adults collected from the field in late August, with the initial density controlled at 50-80 heads / m²; (4) closing the breeding room in December to keep it warm for wintering, maintaining the temperature at 15-18°C.

[0007] Preferably, when the length of the new shoots reaches 3-5 cm, 3 shoots are placed per 8 m²; (2) when the length of the new shoots reaches 8-10 cm, increase to 6 shoots per 8 m²; (3) when the crown projection area exceeds 10 m², add 1 shoot for every additional 2 m².

[0008] Preferably, it also includes the use in combination with the large-spotted outer-spotted grasshopper, specifically: the Chinese grasshopper and the large-spotted outer-spotted grasshopper are released in a ratio of 3:1; the Chinese grasshopper is released in the upper layer of the tree canopy, and the large-spotted outer-spotted grasshopper is released in the middle layer of the tree canopy; the total release amount is controlled at 8-10 heads / 8m².

[0009] Preferably, the feeding behavior of the Chinese grasshopper is as follows: a single adult feeds on 10.0 cm² of new leaves per day; after feeding, only the abscission layer at the base of the petiole remains, and no lateral buds are stimulated to germinate; when the feeding rate of new shoots reaches 100%, no secondary shoots germinate; and the feeding selectivity for new shoots is 49 times that of old leaves.

[0010] Preferably, when the temperature is below 15°C, the adults are recovered to the breeding room within 2 hours; when the rainfall exceeds 50 mm / day, the release is suspended for 24 hours; and pyrethroid pesticides shall not be used within 5 m of the release area.

[0011] A special breeding device for controlling the summer shoots of Gannan navel oranges by utilizing insects, comprising: the special breeding device comprising a main frame, the main frame having dimensions of 6m in length, 3m in width, and 3m in height; a transparent polyethylene film that can slide along a guide rail is provided on the top of the main frame, with an opening and closing range of 0-100%; a 20-mesh insect-proof gauze is provided around the main frame, the mesh size of the insect-proof gauze being 0.85±0.05mm; and a double-layer movable door with an anti-escape net is provided on the side wall of the main frame, the door gap of the double-layer movable door not exceeding 1mm.

[0012] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: (1) The present application realizes the ecological control of summer shoots by directional release through the use of the food preference of Chinese grasshoppers, compared with the high-frequency operation of traditional artificial pruning and the insufficient pruning rate of chemical pruning, further realizing multiple functions: pruning mechanism innovation: grasshoppers specifically eat the growing point of new shoots (only the leaf petiole abscission layer), avoiding stimulating the germination of lateral buds, and blocking the vicious cycle of "the more you prune, the more you have" from a biological level; Pruning efficiency jumps: a release amount of 3-4 per 8m2 can achieve a pruning rate of more than 99.2%, and the continuous period covers the entire summer shoot growth period (May-August); Ecological compatibility: the feeding rate on old leaves is strictly controlled below 3.6%, avoiding affecting the photosynthesis of the tree, realizing precise pruning technology based on biological habits, realizing efficient and safe pruning treatment, reducing the occurrence of Huanglongbing disease, and improving the economic benefits of planting navel oranges.

[0013] (2) The present application constructs a double prevention and control barrier through the deep coupling of pruning and biological characteristics of wood lice: on the one hand, it blocks reproduction and removes new shoots so that wood lice adults cannot complete sexual maturation and egg laying; on the other hand, it completes the transmission path interruption: the lack of new shoots leads to the development stagnation of wood louse nymphs, thereby suppressing the spread of Huanglongbing disease from the transmission media link, and through the organic combination of insect behavior regulation, plant physiology and disease transmission, a closed loop system of "pruning-inhibiting lice-disease prevention" is formed, thereby realizing operation sustainability and environmental friendliness, completely avoiding the problems of chemical agents such as deformed fruit, pesticide residue and the like, and improving the planting effect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the method flow of the present application; Figure 2 is the influence of pruning on citrus psyllids; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the double-layer movable door when closed in the special feeding device; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the double-layer movable door when opened in the special feeding device.

[0015] REFERENCE NUMERALS: 1, main frame; 2, transparent polyethylene film; 3, insect-proof screen; 4, double-layer movable door. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described clearly and completely below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0017] As Figure 1-2As shown, the embodiment of the present application provides a method for controlling summer shoots of Gannan navel orange by using insects, comprising the following steps: S1. In early May, when the navel orange summer shoots germinate, 3-4 Chinese grasshopper adults are released per 8 m2 of tree crown projection area; S2. In early June, when the summer shoots germinate at the peak, the number of Chinese grasshoppers released is increased to 6-8 per 8 m2 S3. Before and during the release, the weeds on the orchard ground are removed to force the Chinese grasshoppers to feed on the navel orange shoots; S4. The control is continued until before the autumn shoots germinate in August; S5. The insect population density is monitored every 5 days to maintain an effective number of control shoot populations.

[0018] Preferably, the Chinese grasshopper is a phytophagous insect, and the method for breeding the Chinese grasshopper comprises: (1) establishing a main frame 1 of a breeding room with a length of 6 m, a width of 3 m, and a height of 3 m, and covering the four walls and the top with a transparent polyethylene film 2 and a 20-mesh insect-proof screen 3; (2) planting Pterospermum obliqum and Ajuga nippononivea as food in the main frame 1 in early August; (3) releasing nymphs and adults collected from the field in late August, and controlling the initial density at 50-80 per m2; and (4) closing the breeding room for wintering in December, and maintaining the temperature at 15-18℃.

[0019] The preferred scheme systematically constructs a large-scale breeding system of the Chinese grasshopper, and provides stable and efficient insect source guarantee for the shoot control method. Figure 3-4 As shown, it is embodied in: the design of the standardized main frame 1 of the breeding room (6m×3m×3m) combined with the double-layer structure of the transparent polyethylene film 2 and the 20-mesh insect-proof screen 3, which not only ensures the light transmittance to meet the growth needs of the planted food, but also effectively prevents the grasshoppers from escaping; the selection of Pterospermum obliqum and Ajuga nippononivea as food in early August to precisely match the nutritional needs of the grasshopper breeding period, the release of field insect sources in late August and the control of the initial density at 50-80 per m2 to optimize the population reproduction efficiency and avoid overcrowding; the closing of the breeding room in December to maintain the wintering temperature at 15-18℃, which significantly improves the egg survival rate and promotes the nymphs to hatch before May of the next year, thereby ensuring the timely supply of insect sources during the shoot control period.

[0020] The breeding scheme controls the time and space configuration and the environmental parameters accurately, so that the grasshopper population maintains the best physiological state, and the produced adults have stable shoot feeding capacity (10 cm2 per day), which lays a foundation for the control rate of more than 99.2% in the field, and the wintering temperature maintenance measures make the insect source supply cycle and the summer shoot germination period biologically synchronized, thereby guaranteeing the operability and sustainability of the shoot control method from the source.

[0021] Preferably, when the length of the new shoots reaches 3-5 cm, 3 shoots are placed per 8 m²; (2) when the length of the new shoots reaches 8-10 cm, increase to 6 shoots per 8 m²; (3) when the crown projection area exceeds 10 m², add 1 shoot for every additional 2 m².

[0022] This preferred solution maximizes the efficiency of Chinese grasshopper shoot control and optimizes resource utilization by establishing a dynamic deployment mechanism. Using shoot length (3-5 cm at initial emergence and 8-10 cm at peak emergence) as key deployment points, combined with a gradient adjustment of a base dose of 3 shoots per 8 m² and a peak dose of 6 shoots per 8 m², it precisely matches the biomass requirements of summer shoots at different growth stages. This avoids resource waste caused by excessive deployment in the early stages while ensuring robust shoot control (shoot control rate >99%) during peak emergence. For tree crowns with a projected area greater than 10 m², a flexible deployment strategy of adding one shoot for every 2 m² of growth increases is implemented, effectively addressing the challenge of uneven shoot control in large-crown fruit trees.

[0023] This program quantifies the dynamic response relationship between the development status of new shoots and the insect population, while ensuring the effectiveness of shoot control, it strictly controls the old leaf feeding rate to below 3.6%, achieving dual guarantees of shoot control accuracy and tree safety.

[0024] Preferably, it also includes the use in combination with the large-spotted outer-spotted grasshopper, specifically: the Chinese grasshopper and the large-spotted outer-spotted grasshopper are released in a ratio of 3:1; the Chinese grasshopper is released in the upper layer of the tree canopy, and the large-spotted outer-spotted grasshopper is released in the middle layer of the tree canopy; the total release amount is controlled at 8-10 heads / 8m².

[0025] This preferred solution further improves the shoot control effect by constructing an ecological niche complementarity system between the Chinese grasshopper and the large-spotted outer-legged grasshopper. The 3:1 ratio combined with a layered release strategy (grasshoppers in the upper layer and large-spotted outer-legged grasshoppers in the middle layer) achieves comprehensive coverage of the three-dimensional space of the tree canopy. The two form a relationship that is both complementary and competitive for feeding, further improving the shoot control effect and extending the shoot control period by 50% to 90 days. The precise control of the total release volume of 8-10 heads / 8m² not only exerts the synergistic feeding effect of the two insects, but also controls the old leaf feeding rate below 2%, forming a three-dimensional shoot control.

[0026] Preferably, the feeding behavior of the Chinese grasshopper is as follows: a single adult feeds on 10.0 cm² of new leaves per day; after feeding, only the abscission layer at the base of the petiole remains, and the germination of lateral buds is not stimulated; when the feeding rate of new shoots reaches 100%, no secondary shoots germinate; and the feeding selectivity for new shoots is 49 times that of old leaves.

[0027] Preferably, when the temperature is below 15°C, the adults are recovered to the breeding room within 2 hours; when the rainfall exceeds 50 mm / day, the release is suspended for 24 hours; and pyrethroid pesticides shall not be used within 5 m of the release area.

[0028] A special breeding device for controlling the summer shoots of Gannan navel oranges by utilizing insects comprises: the special breeding device comprises a main frame 1, the main frame 1 having dimensions of 6m in length, 3m in width, and 3m in height; a transparent polyethylene film 2 that can slide along a guide rail is provided on the top of the main frame 1, with an opening and closing range of 0-100%; a 20-mesh insect-proof gauze 3 is provided around the main frame 1, the mesh size of the insect-proof gauze 3 being 0.85±0.05mm; a double-layer movable door 4 with an escape prevention net is provided on the side wall of the main frame 1, and the door gap of the double-layer movable door 4 does not exceed 1mm.

[0029] This specialized breeding device, with a main frame as its core support structure, takes on a regular rectangular shape. Its precise dimensions are set at 6 meters in length, 3 meters in width, and 3 meters in height. These spatial specifications not only meet the needs of large-scale breeding, but also allow for flexible placement indoors and outdoors. Constructed of high-strength alloy and treated with corrosion and rust prevention, the frame can withstand humidity fluctuations and daily wear and tear in the breeding environment, providing a stable and reliable structural foundation for the entire device. The transparent polyethylene membrane 2 at the top of the device is a key component for regulating the breeding environment. Made from food-grade polyethylene, this membrane not only offers excellent light transmittance, ensuring over 90% natural light penetration, but also exhibits excellent weather resistance and flexibility. The edge of the membrane connects to the top rail via a special slot. Combined with an electric drive, the membrane can be adjusted from 0-100% in opening and closing. When fully closed, it effectively blocks wind and rain, maintaining stable internal temperature and humidity. When partially open, it promotes air circulation, preventing a stuffy environment. Fully open, it facilitates large-scale cleaning or equipment maintenance. The rails feature a silent design, producing less than 40 decibels during sliding, eliminating stress and disturbance for the animals. The main frame is completely covered by a 20-mesh insect-proof gauze 3, forming a three-dimensional protective barrier. Woven from nylon and processed using a precision textile process, the mesh size is strictly controlled within a range of 0.85±0.05mm. This specification effectively blocks the intrusion of small pests such as aphids and whiteflies while ensuring smooth air circulation, achieving an air exchange rate of more than 8 times per hour inside and outside the device. The edges of the gauze are tightly fixed to the frame by stainless steel strips, and the seams are sealed using a heat-sealed process to prevent leaks. It is also tear-resistant and can withstand the slightest pull of daily operation. A double-layered movable door 4 with an escape-proof net is located in the convenient access area on the side wall of the device. This design balances convenient access for personnel and the safety of the animals. The outer door utilizes an aluminum alloy frame with a transparent acrylic panel, allowing for easy observation of the interior; the inner door is fitted with a 20-mesh insect-proof screen that matches the specifications of the surrounding enclosures, providing double protection. Both doors are equipped with a special silicone sealing strip at the closure to ensure that the gap between the doors is strictly controlled to within 1mm, effectively preventing small animals from escaping through the gap. The movable door is connected to the frame by concealed hinges and can open up to 180 degrees, facilitating equipment transportation and daily management. It is also equipped with a magnetic door lock to prevent the door from opening automatically due to accidental contact.

[0030] Examples of the control effect of Chinese grasshopper on new shoots: Example 1: Determination of the ability of Chinese grasshopper to control new shoots Materials and Methods: Insect cages measuring 120 cm (L × W × H) × 60 cm (H × H) × 80 cm (H × W × H) were covered on all six sides with 20-mesh screen. Five pots of navel orange seedlings (with one new shoot) in nutrient pots were placed in each cage. On May 5th, five treatments were introduced into each cage, with one, two, three, or four adult Chinese grasshoppers, and no Chinese grasshoppers as a control. This was replicated three times. The shoot control rate of Chinese grasshoppers was calculated based on leaf feeding activity.

[0031] Before the insects were introduced, the leaf base number was investigated by counting the number of new and old leaves of the navel orange seedlings in each treatment, measuring the length and width of 100 new and old leaves, and calculating the average area of ​​each leaf.

[0032] Leaf area = leaf length × width Average leaf area = total area of ​​surveyed leaves / number of surveyed leaves Shoot control rate (%) = area of ​​new leaves eaten / total area of ​​new leaves × 100 Feeding rate (%) = area of ​​old leaves eaten / total area of ​​old leaves × 100 If the leaf area consumed is small, measure the length and width of the feeding hole. If a large portion of the leaf is consumed, measure the length and width of the uneaten portion first, and then subtract the remaining leaf area from the average leaf area to obtain the difference. If new shoots are emerging, also investigate them.

[0033] Experimental results: During the experimental period, no new shoots sprouted from the navel orange seedlings in each treatment.

[0034] One Chinese grasshopper can eat 69.6-70.3 cm² of new leaves in 7 days, so the average area of ​​new shoot leaves it can eat in one day is 10.0 cm². When there are few new leaves in the field, it will also eat old leaves, but it will only eat old leaves when there are no new shoots in the field (see Table 1).

[0035] Table 1 Measurement area of ​​shoot control force of Chinese grasshopper (unit: cm²) Example

[0036] Materials and Methods: In a five-year-old Newhall navel orange orchard, plantings were planned at 3m x 2m. Navel orange trees with a canopy size of 2m x 2m and a height of approximately 2m were selected. Two trees were covered with 20-mesh insect-proof netting (5m x 4m x 3m in length, width, and height). Ground weeds were removed. When new shoots began to emerge (May 16), five treatments were set: two, three, four, and five Chinese grasshoppers were placed per net, and no Chinese grasshoppers were placed. When new shoots began to emerge in large numbers (June 7), the insect load was doubled for each treatment, reaching four, six, eight, and ten grasshoppers, respectively. This was repeated three times.

[0037] Survey time and method: Before releasing the insects, survey the number of old leaves in each treatment, and then mark the newly sprouted shoots every 7 days (because Chinese grasshoppers like to eat 2-3 cm long navel orange shoots, only the abscission layer at the connection between the petiole base and the branch remains); on August 1, survey the feeding situation of new shoots and old leaves, and calculate the shoot control rate.

[0038] ① The method for calculating the consumption of new shoots is: the ratio of the number of leaves consumed to the total number of leaves on the new shoot. For example, if a new shoot has 10 leaves and 3 leaves are consumed, the consumption rate is 0.3; if 6 leaves are consumed, the consumption rate is 0.6; if the entire new shoot is consumed, the consumption rate is 1, and so on.

[0039] Shoot control rate (%) = number of new shoots fed / total number of new shoots sprouted in the field × 100 ②Investigation on feeding on old leaves Before insecticide treatment, the leaf base number was investigated by counting the number of old leaves of each navel orange tree under treatment, measuring the length and width of 100 leaves, and calculating the average area of ​​each old leaf and the area of ​​old leaves of the total number of trees.

[0040] The method for investigating the leaf area of ​​old navel orange leaves eaten is as follows: if the leaf area eaten is small, the length and width of the hole eaten are measured to calculate; if most of the leaf is eaten, the length and width of the uneaten part are measured first, and the difference between the average leaf area and the remaining leaf area is used to obtain the result.

[0041] Statistical feeding rate: Grazing rate (%) = sum of leaf areas eaten / total leaf area × 100 Average leaf area = Σ100 leaf length × width / 100 Leaf area of ​​the whole tree = total number of leaves per tree × average leaf area Experimental Results: Table 2 shows that, when controlling the sprouting of new shoots on two navel orange trees with a total canopy projection area of ​​8 m², the use of two Chinese grasshoppers at the time of initial sprouting and doubling the insect dosage during the peak sprouting period resulted in a shoot control rate of 64.3%, with no feeding on old leaves. The use of three grasshoppers resulted in a shoot control rate of 99.2%, with no feeding on old leaves. The use of four and five grasshoppers resulted in complete consumption of new shoots, with feeding rates of 1.2% and 2.6% on old leaves, respectively. Therefore, the use of three to four Chinese grasshoppers at the time of initial sprouting and doubling the insect dosage during the peak sprouting period can effectively control new shoot sprouting in navel oranges, while a small amount of feeding on old leaves will not affect the growth of the navel oranges.

[0042] Table 2. Area of ​​shoot control ability of Chinese grasshopper (unit: cm²)

[0043] Example of using Chinese grasshopper to control shoots and prevent citrus psyllids: Materials and Methods: Chinese grasshopper treatment area: Newhall navel oranges were grown in a 120-square-meter, 40-mesh insect-proof netting in Tandong Town, Ganzhou City. Citrus psyllids were infested year-round in the netting. By the end of June 2024, due to climate change, the number of citrus psyllids at all stages in the netting had dropped to zero. From early July to late October 2024, over 100 psyllid nymphs were inoculated onto new shoots in the netting every 10 days. Simultaneously, 60 Chinese grasshoppers were released into the netting in early July and removed in early October.

[0044] In a blank control area, a 1500 m2, 15-year-old open-air Newhall orchard was converted to a 40-mesh enclosed netting system in December 2022. At the time of netting, each tree contained an average of 2.8 adult psyllids. After the netting system was established, no pesticides were applied. In late March 2024, due to climate change, the netting system contained zero citrus psyllids of all stages. In late May 2024, over 100 psyllid nymphs were released into the new shoots of the netting system and allowed to reproduce naturally. No Chinese grasshoppers were added to the netting system.

[0045] Survey Method: The population of citrus psyllids at all stages was surveyed every seven days in both the treated and control areas. In the treated areas, each stage was surveyed tree by tree and leaf by leaf. In the control areas, the survey was conducted at fixed locations. Five sampling points were selected, with two trees at each point. Two branches were selected at each of the five locations (east, south, west, north, and center) on each branch. The population of the branches at each fixed location was counted.

[0046] The results showed that during the presence of the adult Chinese grasshoppers, all new shoots of navel oranges in the treatment area (net house) were eaten by them. From July to early October, there were no adult psyllids and eggs in the treatment area, with only a small number of nymphs occasionally present. Seven days after the Chinese grasshoppers were removed, all stages of the insects began to appear again in the field. In the control area, psyllids were present in the net house cultivation since they were introduced. The insect population increased rapidly after July and broke out in late September (e.g. Figure 2 This indicates that the Chinese grasshopper can be used to control the growth of citrus new shoots to prevent and control the damage of citrus psyllids.

[0047] The present invention studies the technology of releasing Chinese grasshoppers in the field to control the growth of navel orange summer shoots, thereby effectively controlling the damage of citrus psyllids. When applied, 3-4 Chinese grasshoppers are released per 8m² (calculated based on the projected area of ​​the tree crown) when the navel orange summer shoots just sprout. The insect dosage is doubled during the peak sprouting period. This can effectively control the growth of navel orange summer shoots, with a shoot control effect of over 99.0%, thereby controlling the damage of citrus psyllids.

[0048] While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, and that the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for controlling summer shoots of Gannan navel oranges using insects, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1. In early May, when the summer shoots of navel oranges begin to sprout, release 3-4 adult Chinese grasshoppers for every 8m² of tree crown projection area. S2. During the peak period of summer shoot germination in early June, increase the number of Chinese grasshoppers to 6-8 per 8m². S3. Clear weeds from the orchard floor before and during the release period to force the Chinese grasshoppers to feed on new navel orange shoots; S4: Continue to control until the autumn shoots sprout in August; S5. Monitor the insect population density every 5 days to maintain the effective control population size.

2. The method for controlling summer shoots of navel oranges in southern Jiangxi using insects according to claim 1, wherein: The Chinese grasshopper is a herbivorous insect, and its breeding method includes: (1) establishing a breeding room with a length of 6m × width of 3m × height of 3m, and covering the four sides and the top with transparent polyethylene film and 20-mesh insect-proof gauze; (2) planting kudzu vine or galangal as food in the breeding room in early August; (3) releasing nymphs and adults collected from the field in late August, and controlling the initial density at 50-80 heads / m²; (4) closing the breeding room in December to keep it warm for wintering, and maintaining the temperature at 15-18°C.

3. The method for controlling summer shoots of Gannan navel oranges by utilizing insects according to claim 1, wherein: When the length of the new shoots reaches 3-5 cm, place 3 shoots per 8 m²; (2) When the length of the new shoots reaches 8-10 cm, increase to 6 shoots per 8 m²; (3) When the crown projection area exceeds 10 m², place an additional shoot for every additional 2 m².

4. The method for controlling summer shoots of Gannan navel oranges by utilizing insects according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes the coordinated use with the large-spotted outer-legged grasshopper, specifically: Chinese grasshopper and large-spotted outer-legged grasshopper are released in a ratio of 3:1; Chinese grasshopper is released in the upper layer of the tree canopy, and large-spotted outer-legged grasshopper is released in the middle layer of the tree canopy; the total release amount is controlled at 8-10 heads / 8m².

5. The method for controlling summer shoots of Gannan navel oranges by utilizing insects according to claim 1, characterized in that: The feeding behavior of the Chinese grasshopper is as follows: a single adult feeds on 10.0 cm² of new leaves per day; after feeding, only the abscission layer at the base of the petiole remains, and no lateral buds are stimulated to germinate; when the feeding rate of new shoots reaches 100%, no secondary shoots will germinate; and the feeding selectivity for new shoots is 49 times that of old leaves.

6. The method for controlling summer shoots of Gannan navel oranges by utilizing insects according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the temperature is below 15°C, the adults should be returned to the breeding room within 2 hours; when the rainfall exceeds 50 mm / day, the release should be suspended for 24 hours; pyrethroid pesticides should not be used within 5 m of the release area.

7. A special breeding device for the method of controlling summer shoots of Gannan navel oranges by using insects as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that include: The special breeding device comprises a main frame (1), the main frame (1) has a size of 6m in length × 3m in width × 3m in height; a transparent polyethylene film (2) that can slide along a guide rail is provided on the top of the main frame (1), and the opening and closing range is 0-100%; a 20-mesh insect-proof gauze (3) is provided around the main frame (1), and the mesh size of the insect-proof gauze (3) is 0.85±0.05mm; a double-layer movable door (4) with an anti-escape net is provided on the side wall of the main frame (1), and the door gap of the double-layer movable door (4) does not exceed 1mm.

Images