MISCANTHUS X GIGANTEUS AS A NEW HIGHLY EFFICIENT PHYTOREMEDIATION AGENT FOR IMPROVING SOILS CONTAMINATED BY PESTICIDES RESIDUES AND SUPPLEMENTED CONTAMINANTS.

Soil monitoring was accomplished at 76 former pesticide storehouses in Kazakhstan. Gas chromatography analysis was limited to the organochlorine pesticides DDT (p,p'-dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) and HCH (hexachlorocyclohexane), and their associated metabolites and isomers: 2.4'-DDD (p,p'-dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethane); 4.4'-DDD; 4.4'-DDT; 4.4'-DDE (p,p'-dichlorodiphenyl-dichloroethylene); α-HCH; ß-HCH and γ-HCH. The studies showed exceeding of Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) by 10 times at soil samples taken at 24 former pesticide storehouses, and the basic pollutants were isomers of α-HCH, ß-HCH and metabolite of 4.4'-DDE, 4.4'-DDT, supplemented by heavy metals. Monitoring data demonstrated the potential ecological danger and health risk posed by the sites, especially those located near populated areas. In order to eliminate the negative environmental and health effect it was proposed to use phytotechnology with second generation biofuel crop Miscanthus x giganteus. The technology applied directly at the contaminated area (in situ), helping to decrease costs and to reduce exposure from polluted sites. The plant shows good growing at the soil contaminated by pesticides during vegetation season.

THE POTENTIAL FOR USING ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES TO CONTROL DARKWINGED FUNGUS GNATS BRADYSIA COPROPHILA (LINTNER) ON SUCCULENTS IN GLASS HOUSES.

Darkwinged fungus gnat Bradysia coprophila Lintner (Diptera: Sciaridae) is known as a pest of ornamental plants in commercial green and glass houses in nurseries worldwide. There have been reports about significant Bradysia coprophila damage of succulent plants in five Botanical gardens in Ukraine, including Academician Fomin's Botanical garden (Kiev) for the last three years. In pot experiments the commercial strain of S.feltiae to control B. coprophila was tested on Mammilaria, Opuntia, Echinocerus plants grown individually in plastic pots at rate 500,000 IJs/m². Efficacy of EPN was evaluated based on the percentage of fly emergence from compost and captured in yellow sticky traps in treated and untreated benches with pots. It was shown that Steinernema feltiae application causes significant reduction (90%) of flies captured in yellow traps in comparison with the control. To evaluate virulence of EPNs to B. coprophila in laboratory bioassays, fourth instar larvae were exposed to 20, 50, 75, 100 IJs. B. coprophila was susceptible to all commercial and wild isolates of Steinernema and Heterorhabditis spp. Percentage mortality of B. coprophila larva ranged between 49 and 95%. Wild and commercial isolates of S. feltiae were highly virulent to the pest. The highest mortality--95% was obtained by using a wild strain of S. feltice. The nematode concentration tills to 50 IJ and all nematode species significantly affected the mortality rate of B. coprophila. Increasing the dosage of Steinernema spp. from 75 to 100 IJs did not affect significantly the mortality rate of the insect.

Challenges to grow oilseed rape Brassica napus in sugar beet rotations.

The study was carried out in 1989-1991 and repeated in 2003-2006 to compare life cycle and dynamics of Heterodera schachtii Schm. on sugar beet, oilseed rape, fodder radish and to work out recommendations on how to decrease the risk of yield reduction while it grows in sugar-beet rotations. Research was carried out in plot experiment in natural conditions. Nematode community on rape, fodder radish and sugar beet was analyzed. Data of nematode community showed that composition of nematode species was very similar. Heterodera shachtii were dominated species with rape and sugar beet. All tested Brassica crops are susceptible to H. schachtii. However there is significant difference in population dynamics. The highest total number of brown cysts, eggs and juveniles of all ages was observed in winter rape. H.schachtii developed two generations on sugar beet and one generation on mustard. The voluntary seed germination after harvest contributes to increasing H. schachtii population. Therefore it is necessary to destroy oilseed rape voluntary chemically or physically. This operation should be done in about 2-4 weeks. The exact time can be calculated using the temperature- based model. Growing regular fodder radish and mustard as the trap crops can significantly reduce population of H. schachtii. The time of sowing is not earlier than August 20th. While estimating the time of destruction of trap crops it should be taken into consideration that H. schachtii can complete life cycle without foliage.