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Data for "Service crops for protection against multiple insect pests in sugar beet during crop establishment"

https://doi.org/10.5878/a8fc-ad15
Pest and plant assessments were performed on a total of five field experiments in 2024 (n=2) and 2025 (n=3) in Scania southernmost Sweden. Each experiment had five treatments: sugar beet intercropped with spring Barley, sugar beet intercropped with Persian clover, sugar beet intercropped with white mustard and two controls: sugar beet sole cropping with band spraying of herbicide and sugar beet sole cropping with broad spraying of herbicide. We focused on inspect pest assessments on leaves and stems. Pest assessments on leaves consisted of counting the number of beet leafminer eggs, aphids and leaf injuries by thrips, flea beetles, pygmy mangold beetles or vertebrates in four randomly selected groups of five plants in each plot. In 2024, surveys were conducted between the 8th and the 30th of May, at three-four day intervals, while in 2025 they were conducted between the 15th of April and the 15th of May, at five-nine day intervals. Pest assessments on stems consisted of counting the number of injuries per plant, in 10 randomly selected plants, twice between the 13th and the 24th of May in 2024. Whereas in 2025, these were evaluated as the proportion of the stem injured in each plant, in 15 randomly selected plants, once between the 23rd and 28th of April. All leaf and stem pest assessments were performed while the crop was between BBCH growth stages 9 and 16, because, with the exception of aphids, this period corresponds to when pests inflict the most economically important crop injury. Plant assessments were performed at crop stage BBCH 15-16 (based on the standardized BBCH scale for plant phenological development). We measured sugar beet plant density and the aboveground biomass of service crops, weeds and sugar beet (the latter was measured only in 2025). These assessments were done in four 1 by 1 m quadrats in each plot. In 2025 however, a proportion of the assessments of biomass of service crop and weeds were only done in 50% or 25% of the quadrat. All data were aggregated across samples (plants) and survey rounds for each site and treatment for analysis. For further information, see methods in the manuscript "Service crops for protection against multiple insect pests in sugar beet during crop establishment" by Neus Rodriguez-Gasol, Göran Bergkvist & Ola Lundin.
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Data files

Documentation files

Citation and access

Data access level:

Creator/​Principal investigator(s):

Research principal:

Principal's reference number:

  • SLU.ekol.2025.4.2.IÄ-6

Data contains personal data:

Yes

Type of personal data:

Pseudonymised data including codes that correspond to field sites belonging to landowners and recorders inolved in the experiment

Code key exists:

Yes

Citation:

License:

Language:

Method and outcome

Unit of analysis:

Population:

The study population consisted of sugar beet agroecosystems in southern Sweden during the crop establishment phase (BBCH 9–16), including sugar beet plants, associated service crops (spring barley, Persian clover and white mustard), weeds, and insect pest communities occurring in field experiments conducted in Scania during 2024–2025. Analytic results refer to pest incidence and crop/vegetation responses measured at plot level across five experimental field sites. Surveyed variables and methods: - Beet leafminer eggs — counted on sugar beet leaves in four randomly selected groups of five plants per plot. - Aphids — counted on sugar beet leaves in four randomly selected groups of five plants per plot. - Leaf injury by thrips, flea beetles, pygmy mangold beetles and vertebrates — visually assessed on sugar beet leaves in four randomly selected groups of five plants per plot. - Stem injuries (2024) — number of injuries per plant counted on 10 randomly selected plants per plot. - Stem injuries (2025) — proportion of stem area injured assessed on 15 randomly selected plants per plot. - Sugar beet plant density — measured within four 1 × 1 m quadrats per plot. - Aboveground biomass of service crops — measured within four 1 × 1 m quadrats per plot (in some 2025 assessments only 50% or 25% of the quadrat area was sampled). - Aboveground biomass of weeds — measured within four 1 × 1 m quadrats per plot (in some 2025 assessments only 50% or 25% of the quadrat area was sampled). - Aboveground biomass of sugar beet (2025 only) — measured within four 1 × 1 m quadrats per plot.

Study design:

  • Experimental study
  • Field trial

Description of study design:

The study was conducted as replicated field experiments at five sites in Scania, Sweden, during 2024–2025. Each experiment included five treatments comparing intercropping systems and conventional sugar beet cultivation controls. Treatments consisted of sugar beet intercropped with spring barley, Persian clover or white mustard, as well as sole-cropped sugar beet with either band-sprayed or broad-sprayed herbicide management. Pest and plant assessments were repeatedly conducted during the crop establishment period (BBCH 9–16). Measurements included counts of insect pests and pest injuries on leaves and stems, crop density, and aboveground biomass of crops and weeds. Data were aggregated across sampled plants and survey rounds at the site-by-treatment level for statistical analysis.

Sampling procedure:

Description of sampling:

Pest and plant assessments were performed on a total of five field experiments in 2024 (n=2) and 2025 (n=3) in Scania southernmost Sweden. Each experiment had five treatments: sugar beet intercropped with spring Barley, sugar beet intercropped with Persian clover, sugar beet intercropped with white mustard and two controls: sugar beet sole cropping with band spraying of herbicide and sugar beet sole cropping with broad spraying of herbicide. We focused on inspect pest assessments on leaves and stems. Pest assessments on leaves consisted of counting the number of beet leafminer eggs, aphids and leaf injuries by thrips, flea beetles, pygmy mangold beetles or vertebrates in four randomly selected groups of five plants in each plot. In 2024, surveys were conducted between the 8th and the 30th of May, at three-four day intervals, while in 2025 they were conducted between the 15th of April and the 15th of May, at five-nine day intervals. Pest assessments on stems consisted of counting the number of injuries per plant, in 10 randomly selected plants, twice between the 13th and the 24th of May in 2024. Whereas in 2025, these were evaluated as the proportion of the stem injured in each plant, in 15 randomly selected plants, once between the 23rd and 28th of April. All leaf and stem pest assessments were performed while the crop was between BBCH growth stages 9 and 16, because, with the exception of aphids, this period corresponds to when pests inflict the most economically important crop injury. Plant assessments were performed at crop stage BBCH 15-16. We measured sugar beet plant density and the aboveground biomass of service crops, weeds and sugar beet (the latter was measured only in 2025). These assessments were done in four 1 by 1 m quadrats in each plot. In 2025 however, a proportion of the assessments of biomass of service crop and weeds were only done in 50% or 25% of the quadrat. All data were aggregated across samples (plants) and survey rounds for each site and treatment for analysis.

Time period(s) investigated:

Variables:

47

Number of individuals/​objects:

11915

Data format/​data structure:

Species and taxons:

Data collection Field observation

Mode of collection:

Field observation

Description of the mode of collection:

Pest assessments on leaves consisted of counting the number of beet leafminer eggs, aphids and leaf injuries by thrips, flea beetles, pygmy mangold beetles or vertebrates in four randomly selected groups of five plants in each plot. In 2024, surveys were conducted between the 8th and the 30th of May, at three-four day intervals, while in 2025 they were conducted between the 15th of April and the 15th of May, at five-nine day intervals.

Time period(s) for data collection:

2024-05-08 - 2025-05-15

Data collector:

Source of the data:

  • Other

Temporal resolution:

4 day

Data collection Observation

Mode of collection:

Observation

Description of the mode of collection:

Pest assessments on stems consisted of counting the number of injuries per plant, in 10 randomly selected plants, twice between the 13th and the 24th of May in 2024. Whereas in 2025, these were evaluated as the proportion of the stem injured in each plant, in 15 randomly selected plants, once between the 23rd and 28th of April.

Time period(s) for data collection:

2024-05-13 - 2025-04-28

Data collector:

Source of the data:

  • Other

Temporal resolution:

1 year

Data collection

Description of the mode of collection:

Plant assessments were performed at crop stage BBCH 15-16. We measured sugar beet plant density and the aboveground biomass of service crops, weeds and sugar beet (the latter was measured only in 2025). These assessments were done in four 1 by 1 m quadrats in each plot. In 2025 however, a proportion of the assessments of biomass of service crop and weeds were only done in 50% or 25% of the quadrat.

Time period(s) for data collection:

2024-05-30 - 2025-05-21

Data collector:

Source of the data:

  • Other

Temporal resolution:

1 year

Geographic coverage

Geographic location:

Geographic description:

Pest and plant assessments were performed on a total of five field experiments in 2024 (n=2) and 2025 (n=3) in Scania southernmost Sweden.

Administrative information

Responsible department/​unit:

Department of Crop Production Ecology

Funding

Funding agency:

Award title:

Subsidiary crop in sugar beet för control of insect pests

Topic and keywords

Swedish Standard Classification of Research Subjects 2025:

Keywords:

Relations

Related research data:

Contact

Neus Rodriguez-Gasolneus.rodriguez.gasol@slu.se
SLU Arkivarkiv@slu.se

Metadata

Version 1
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slu
Version 1 published: