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Effect of sorghum and cowpea intercropping pattern on the spotted stemborer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) larval establishment in southwestern Kenya

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

E. M. Minja  and
J. K. Ampofo
E. M. Minja
Affiliation:
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Mbita Point Field Station, P.O. Box 30, Mbita, Kenya
J. K. Ampofo
Affiliation:
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Mbita Point Field Station, P.O. Box 30, Mbita, Kenya
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Abstract

An investigation was carried out on the effects of three patterns of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) intercrops on larval establishment of the spotted stemborer, Chilo partellus, on sorghum at different growth stages. The intercrop patterns were: sorghum sown simultaneously with cowpea, sorghum sown 2 weeks before cowpea and sorghum sown 2 weeks after cowpea. Sole sorghum and sole cowpea were controls. Sorghum plants were infested at 4, 6 and 8 weeks after emergence (WAE). Ten days after infestation, the infested plants and their immediate neighbours in the same row were uprooted and dissected. The number of larvae recovered and their stages of development were recorded. Some predatory arthropods were monitored by direct egg counts and use of pitfall traps. Grain yields were recorded at harvest to determine land productivity. Larval establishment was significantly (P < 0.05) higher on sorghum plants in sole crop than in intercrops; it was also higher on sorghum plants infested 6 WAE than on other dates. More C. partellus larvae were lost from sorghum sown after cowpea than in other cropping patterns, and more larvae were lost from sorghum plants infested at 4 WAE than on other dates. More predatory arthropods were observed in cowpea cover compared to those found in sole sorghum—the arthropods may be responsible for the observed loss in C. partellus larvae in the intercrop. Land productivity was higher in sorghum sown simultaneously with or after cowpea than in other cropping patterns. Thus, intercropping increased larval loss in C. partellus and improved productivity.

Résumé

Une étude a été menée sur les effets de trois types de cultures mixtes de sorgho (Sorghum bicolor) et de niébé (Vigna unguiculata) sur l'éstablissement des larves de la mineuse de la tige, Chilo partellus, sur le sorgho à differents stades de croissance. Les types d'interculture ont été du sorgho planté simultanément avec le niébé, du sorgho planté 2 semaines avant le niébé et du sorgho planté 2 semaines après le niébé. Le sorgho seul et le niébé seul ont servi de témoins. Les plantes de sorgho ont été infestés à 4, 6 et 8 semaines après émergence (SAE). Dix jours après infestation, les plantes infestés et ceux de leur voisinage immédiat ont été déraçinés et disséqués. Le nombre de larves récupérées et leurs stades de développement ont été enregistrés. Quelques arthropodes prédateurs ont été surveillés par comptage direct des oeufs et utilisation des fosse-pièges. Les rendements en grain ont été enregistrés à la récolte afin de déterminer la production du sol. L'éstablissement larvaire a été signifkativement (P < 0,05) plus élevé sur des plants de sorgho chez des cultures seules qu'en intercultures; il a été aussi plus élevé sur des plants de sorgho infestés 6 SAE qu'à d'autres dates. Il y eut plus de larves de C. partellus perdues avec du sorgho planté après le niébé qu'avec d'autres types d'intercultures, et il y eut plus de larves perdues avec des plants infestés 4 SAE qu'à d'autres dates. Il y eut plus d'arthropodes prédateurs observés sous le couvert du niébé par rapport à ceux trouvés sur du sorgho seul—les arthropodes pourraient être responsables de la perte observée chez les larves de C. partellus dans l'interculture. La productivité du sol a été plus élevé sur du sorgho planté simultanément avec ou après le niébé qu'avec d'autres types d'intercultures. Ainsi, l'interculture a accru la perte de larves chez C. partellus et a amélioré la productivité du sol.

Keywords

Chilo partellussorghumcowpeadispersalestablishmentintercroppingpredatory arthropodsChilo partellussorghoniébédispersionétablissementinterculturearthropodes prédateurs
Type
Research Articles
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 16 , Issue 2 , June 1995 , pp. 217 - 222
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1995

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