Nonagria

Nonagria (lat. Nonagria) belongs to the family Noctuidae of the order Lepidoptera. These are specific moths whose larvae lead a concealed lifestyle, developing inside the stems of herbaceous plants. In agronomic practice, this genus is relevant as a pest capable of causing localized damage to cereal crops and aquatic vegetation.

The primary food sources for Nonagria larvae are wild grasses such as reeds and cattails, as well as certain species of cultivated cereals growing near water bodies or in waterlogged fields. The economic damage manifests in the weakening of the plant's general condition, reduced yield, and disruption of sap flow.

The biology of this pest is characterized by one generation per year. Insects usually overwinter in the egg stage, attached to the leaves of host plants. In spring, the hatched larvae bore into the stems, creating tunnels. Pupation occurs inside the damaged stem or at its base, after which the moths emerge, being primarily active at night.

A characteristic sign of infestation is the wilting of the central leaf followed by yellowing or drying. The larvae eat the internal part of the stem, leading to stem distortion and the cessation of plant growth. At high population densities, the pest can significantly thin out crops, resulting in the formation of "dead hearts" where no ear develops.

• Conducting drainage and land reclamation works on waterlogged areas.
• Eliminating aquatic weeds (reeds, cattails) near agricultural fields.
• Timely deep plowing of soil to destroy overwintering stages.
• Adhering to crop rotation by excluding vulnerable crops from high-risk fields.
• Applying systemic insecticides upon detection of mass infestation.