Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte is a species of European importance. In our country, in recent years attention has been directed toward host plants. This paper comes as a response to the question whether there are other plants to ensure their survival and breeding, except maize. The literature mentions that the main host plant for Diabrotica virgifera virgifera species is corn (Zea mays). Several other crops, such as sunflower, winter wheat and clover are mentioned in literature as secondary host plants, but no real damage has been observed in the field. The researches were carried out in doctoral experience installed in experimental area field belonging to USAMVB Resort Timisoara. Experimental lot was founded in May, through studies and experimental techniques and seeding of variants. Experience was conceived through the whole surface sowing experiment, in which was then placed a cage of isolation, each cage, in fact, representing a repetition. Diabrotica virgifera virgifera adults were introduced into each cage after their mass occurrence in maize field. Tracking and measuring their feeding mode and setting the plant organs favorite in terms of percentage of attack were made by regular observations at an interval of 7 days. Plants in cages have been maintained as required by technological growth and development links of sunflower. Following observations found that in three repetitions, all plants analyzed were attacked only in the inflorescence. In conditions of isolation Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte adults are attracted mainly by sunflower inflorescence parts (petals, pollen). The leaves were not attacked. Towards attack percentage recorded in isolation cages it can be observed that all analyzed sunflower plants showed blossom attack starting at a low 25%, in early August and reaching a very high consumption, 75% by the end of August

WCR, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera Le Conte, adult, feeding, sunflower, cage isolation

Presentation: oral