Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T01:18:01.196Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Colonisation of Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in stemborers in the semi-arid Eastern Province of Kenya

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

J. M. Songa ,
W. A. Overholt ,
J. M. Mueke  and
R. O. Okello
J. M. Songa
Affiliation:
National Dryland Farming Research Centre, Katumani, P. O. Box 340, Machakos, Kenya
W. A. Overholt
Affiliation:
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P. O. Box 30772, Nairobi, Kenya
J. M. Mueke
Affiliation:
Kenyatta University, P. O. Box 43844, Nairobi, Kenya
R. O. Okello
Affiliation:
Kenyatta University, P. O. Box 43844, Nairobi, Kenya
Get access

Abstract

A study was conducted at Katumani, Kiboko and Ithookwe, in the semi-arid Eastern Province of Kenya for four seasons (short rains 1996-long rains 1998), to confirm the major stemborers of maize, and to introduce and monitor the colonisation of Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in these stemborers. About 6750 adults of Cotesia flavipes were released at each site, from ‘release stations’, starting one week after plant emergence and repeated fortnightly up to harvest. Pre-release parasitism of the stemborers was determined, for two seasons prior to release of Co. flavipes, during the season of release and one season after the release of this parasitoid. Parasitism was assessed from developmental stages of the stemborers recovered through destructive sampling of 100 plants, starting one week after plant emergence. This was repeated weekly at Katumani, and fortnightly at Kiboko and Ithookwe until harvest. The stemborers recovered from maize were Chilo partellus, Sesamia calamistis, Cryptophlebia leucotreta and Busseola fusca in descending order of abundance, with Ch. partellus being the most widespread stemborer. Cotesia flavipes parasitised and successfully colonised Ch. partellus and S. calamistis in the three sites during the season of release and one season post-release of the parasitoid. Parasitism by Co. flavipes ranged from 7.14–25.80 %. The colonisation rate of Co. flavipes in the two major stemborers in the semi-arid Eastern Province of Kenya suggests the high potential of this parasitoid in regulating populations of stemborers that attack maize in this region.

Résumé

Durant quatre saisons (courtes saisons des pluies 1996–longues saisons 1998), une étude a été menée à Katumani, Kiboko et Ithookwe dans la zone sémi-aride de la province de l'est du Kenya. Elle avait pour but de confirmer les principales espèces de foreur de tige de mais, d'introduire et de suivre la colonisation par Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) de ces foreurs. Environ 6750 adultes de Cotesia flavipes ont été lâché à chaque site à partir d'une semaine après émergence des plantes et répété toutes les deux semaines jusqu'â la récolte. Le parasitisme avant les lâchés a été mesuré durant deux saisons. Le parasitisme a aussi été mesuré pendant la saison des lâchés et une saison après. La parasitisme a été évalué à partir des different stades de développement collectés après échantillonage destructif de 100 plantes à partir d'une semaine après la germination. Ceci a été répété toutes les semaines à Katumani et une fois toutes les deux semaines à Kiboko et Ithookwe, ceci jusqu'à la récolte. Les foreurs collectés sur du maïs étaient les suivants: Chilo partellus, Sesamia calamistis, Cryptophlebia leucotreta et Busseola fusca dans l'ordre descendant d'abondance avec Chilo partellus come étant l'espèce la plus répandue. Cotesia flavipes a parasité et colonisé avec success Ch. partellus et Sesamia calamistis dans les 3 sites pendant la saison des lâchés et une saison après lâchés. Le parasitisme par Co. flavipes était compris entre 7.14 et 25.80 %. La vitesse de colonisation des deux foreurs majeurs de la zone semi-aride de la province de l'est du Kenya est une indication du grand potentiel qu'aurait ce parasitoid à assurer la régulation de population des foreurs de tige de maïs dans cette région.

Keywords

maizeChilo partellusbiological controlCotesia flavipesparasitismmaïsChilo partelluslutte biologiqueCotesia flavipesparasitisme
Type
Research Articles
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 21 , Issue 4 , December 2001 , pp. 289 - 295
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 2001

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alam, M. M., Bennett, F. D. and Carl, K. P. (1971) Biological control of Diatraca saccharalis (F.) in Barbados by Apanteles flavipes Cam. and Lixophaga diatracae T.T. Entomophaga 16, 151–158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beg, M. N. and Inayatullah, C. (1980) Studies of Aparteles flavipes a parasite of graminaceous borers. Pakistan J. Agric. Res. 1, 50–53.Google Scholar
Betbeder-Matibet, M. and Malinge, P. (1967) Un succès de la lutte biologique: controle de proceras sacchariphagus Boj. aborer ponctué de la canne à sucre à Madagascar par un parasite introduit: Apanteles flavipes Cam. Agrarnie Tropicale 22, 1196–1220.Google Scholar
CIBC (1968–1972) Annual reports of the Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control. Farnham, Royal.Google Scholar
Darling, P. J. (1993) KARI/ODA Crop Protection Project, Farming systems survey summary report. Project No. T0284. 28 pp.Google Scholar
Haines, C. P. (1991) Insects and Arachnids of Tropical Stored Products: Their Biology and identification. NRI/ODA.Google Scholar
Martin, H. and Woodcock, D. (1983) The Scientific Principles of Crop Protection. Edward Arnold (Publishers) Ltd. London. 485 pp.Google Scholar
Mbapila, J. C. (1996) Comparative seasonal adaptation of Cotesm flavipes Cameron and C. sesainiae (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) to Chilo partellus Swinhoe (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on the Kenyan Coast. PhD Thesis. University of Dar es Salaam.Google Scholar
Mohyuddin, A. I. and Greathead, D. J. (1970) An annotated list of the parasitoids of graminaceous stemborers in East Africa with a discussion of their potential in biological am trol. Entoiuoplmga 15, 241–271.Google Scholar
Moutia, L.A. and Courtois, C. M. (1952) Parasites of the moth-borers of sugar-cane in Mauritius. Bull. Entornol. Res. 43, 325–359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ngi-Song, A. J., Overholt, W. A. and Ayertey, J. N. (1995) Suitability of African graminaceous stemborers for development of Cotesia flavipes and C. sesamiae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Environ. Ent. 24, 978–984.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ochieng, R. S., Onyango, F. O. and Bungu, M. D. O. (1985) Improvement of techniques for mass culture of Chilo partellus (Swinhoe). insect Sci. Applic. 6, 425–428.Google Scholar
Overholt, W. A. (1998) Biological control, pp. 349–404. In African Cereal Stemborers: Economic Importance, Taxonomy, Natural Enemies and Control (Edited by Polaszek, A.). CAB International, London, UK.Google Scholar
Overholt, W. A., Ngi-Song, A. J., Omwega, C. O., Kimani, S. W., Mbapila, J., Saliam, M. N. and Ofomata, V. (1997) A review of the introduction and establishment of Cotesia flavipes Cameron in East Africa for biological control of cereal stemborers. Insect Sci. Applic. 17, 79–88.Google Scholar
Overholt, W. A., Ochieng, J. O., Lammers, P. and Ogedah, K. (1994) Rearing and field release methods for Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a parasitoid of tropical gramineous stemborers. Insect Sci. Applic. 15, 253–259.Google Scholar
Peirs, L. M. (1927) Some phases of the relation of temperature and to the development of insects. West Virginia Agric. Exp. Stn Bull. 208, 62 pp.Google Scholar
Seshu Reddy, K. V. (1983) Studies on the stemborer complex of sorghum in Kenya. Insect Sci. Applic. 4, 3–10.Google Scholar
Smith, J. W. Jr, Wiedenmann, R. N. and Overholt, W. A. (1993) Parasites of Lepidopteran Stemborers of Tropical Graminaceous Plants. ICIPE Science Press, Nairobi, Kenya. 89 pp.Google Scholar
Songa, J. M. (1999) Distribution, importance and management of stemborers (Lepidoptera) in maize production systems of semi-arid eastern Kenya with emphasis on biological control. PhD dissertation, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya. 251 pp.Google Scholar
Songa, J., Songa, W., Kavoi, J., Kimotho, L. and Nzioki, S. (1999) Integrated management of stemborers in maize in semi-arid eastern Kenya, pp. 393–395. In Towards Increased Use of Demand Driven Technology (Edited by Sutherland, J. A.). Pre-conference mini-papers prepared for the KARI/DFID NARP II Project, End of Project Conference, 23–26th March 1999, Nairobi, Kenya.Google Scholar
Tams, W. H. T. (1932) New species of African Heterocera. Entomologist 65, 1241–1249.Google Scholar