The Invasive Reed Glass-Winged Cicada Bedeviling Hessian Crops
Endangered pest poses risk to agricultural produce in Hesse region - Threatening crops in Hessen, pest species under protection could cause damage
Hessen is grappling with a pesky critter - the reed glass-winged cicada (Pentastiridius leporinus). This insect is causing trouble for potatoes, sugar beets, and other crops, leading to significant harvest losses. In response to an AfD minor inquiry, the Ministry of Agriculture stated, "The production of planting potatoes in Hessen is almost at a standstill." In addition to potatoes, there are also losses for sugar beets, beets, carrots, and onions.
Southern Hessen under Attack
According to the Hessian Plant Protection Service, the hotspot regions for the cicada invasion are in the southern districts of Groß-Gerau, Darmstadt-Dieburg, Bergstraße, and Odenwaldkreis. Specialists first noticed the infestation in 2018, and since then, it has been rapidly spreading in southern Hessen and moving north. "Southern Hessen up to the Main line is our hotspot region in Hessen," the Hessian Farmers' Association declared. The level of damage from this invasion depends on the severity of the infestation. Potatoes can even be completely lost if they no longer meet the quality standards. Sugar beets develop a gum-like softness at the tips, leading to a decrease in yield and sugar content, according to the Plant Protection Service.
Balancing Conservation and Control
The reed glass-winged cicada is listed as threatened in the German Red List. It is native to wetland areas with reeds, where it remains rare. The Ministry of Agriculture proposes removing the cicada from the Red List, as stated by Dominik Dicke, the responsible official for the department of warning service and pest monitoring. On the other hand, the Hessian State Office for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology (Hlnug) maintains that the cicada has been listed as threatened on the nationwide red list of cicadas since 2016, with updates occurring approximately every ten years. Any potential reclassification or removal of a species would only occur during a Red List update.
The Mystery of the Cicada's Move
The factor causing the cicada's presence in fields is a mystery, as explained by plant protection expert Dicke. One theory suggests that due to a shrinking natural habitat, the cicada is seeking out new areas. Another hypothesis proposes that the disease agents it transmits are linked to intestinal bacteria, potentially helping the cicada digest new plant species more efficiently. The ministry's response to the minor inquiry suggests that "the current mass reproduction in agricultural crops can be attributed to an ecological adaptation to changed habitat conditions." The Hessian Farmers' Association speculates that climate change may contribute to the cicada's more widespread distribution.
The Warning Level Triggered in South Hessen
Combating a protected species presents a challenge. Farmers may use certain insecticides, but only within the framework of an "emergency approval," and only if the Hessian Plant Protection Service has issued an official warning service announcement. This requirement is in place to ensure there is evidence of a growing infestation in a specific region where damage has occurred in previous years. This is monitored using sticky traps placed throughout the fields, with the catch numbers being checked weekly to determine whether a control measure is required. Based on this data, a warning service call was issued on May 23 for the hotspot region in southern Hesse.
Chemicals Aren't Enough
Insecticides are considered an "important, albeit limited," tool in controlling the cicada. Plant protection expert Dicke is certain that chemicals alone are not enough to contain or eradicate the pest. The Julius Kühn Institute, the federal research institute for crop plants, has found that the use of insecticides can reduce infestation but that the pesticide alone is insufficient to effectively address the complex epidemiological situation.
A Comprehensive Approach
"A comprehensive approach combining chemical and agricultural measures is necessary," says Dicke. This approach might involve searching for resistant plant varieties, starving or undermining the larvae after harvest, and strategies such as crop rotation and soil tillage. However, certain areas still require further research for a final solution.
Innovative methods for controlling the ricegrass aphid are being researched, with examples such as RNA interference technologies, insecticidal fungi, and "natural enemies." The goal is to bring these new, biological approaches onto the field as quickly as possible through streamlined licensing and approval processes.
- Hesse
- Crop Protection
- Aphid
- Harvest
- South Hessen
- Agriculture
- Pest
- Bacteria
- Wiesbaden
- BMELV
- AfD
- Beetroot
- Groß-Gerau
- Darmstadt-DIEBURG
- Odenwaldkreis
- Infestation
- Germany
Insight:
- The spread of the reed glass-winged cicada could be influenced by factors such as habitat expansion, food availability, human activity, climate change, and a lack of natural predators.
- Human activity, including transportation, can inadvertently spread insects like the reed glass-winged cicada.
- Changes in climate might alter the distribution and abundance of insects such as the reed glass-winged cicada.
- A comprehensive approach that combines chemical and agricultural measures may be necessary to effectively address insect infestations.
- The Ministry of Agriculture in Hesse is considering requesting the removal of the reed glass-winged cicada from the German Red List, as it poses a significant threat to the steel industry's agricultural crops, such as potatoes and sugar beets.
- In the pursuit of health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise, the steel industry could potentially partner with the agricultural sector in Hesse to develop environmentally-friendly and sustainable methods for controlling crop pests, given the increasing threat from the reed glass-winged cicada, utilizing scientific research and manufacturing breakthroughs.
