WATER LI LY PESTS IN THE STAVROPOL BOTANICAL GARDEN

Abstract

Currently, tropical and winter-hardy water lilies are increasingly used in landscaping
ponds in cities and private households. In this regard, the purpose of our research is to assess
the decorative ness of water lilies’ species and varieties in closed and open ground conditions.
The research was carried out in the Stavropol Botanical Garden (SBG), where 32 species and
varieties of water lilies were studied in protected and open ground reservoirs. Studies have
established that the main cause of loss in decorativeness of water lilies’ plants is diseases and
pests, the main of which are water Lily aphids (Rhopalosiphum nymphaeae) and spider mites
(Tetranychus urticae). So, regardless of the growth place (open or closed ground), at the
average daily air temperature of plus 23.2-24.0 ° C 27 varieties of water lilies were affected
by water Lily aphid (from 10 to 30%). Seven varieties at an air temperature of 35 °C and a
humidity of 90% were affected by a spider tick. The most pest-resistant are tropical water
lilies of the variebies: ‘Nang Kwang Champooz’, ‘Nang Kwang Fax’, ‘Mrs. George C.
Hitchcock. This is due to the fact that the period of vegetation in them coincides with
unfavourable conditions for the active reproduction of aphids and ticks. The correlation
analysis revealed a noticeable dependence (r < 0.7) of the intensity of damage to the leaves of
water lilies on the temperature conditions, regardless of the growing conditions. As water
lilies grow in water, measures to protect them have their own features. Therefore, the main
method of controlling pests and diseases of aquatic plants is the mechanical destruction and
removal of damaged leaves and the use of the biological Biotlin preparation.