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Developing habitat management systems for gramineous stemborers in South Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

J. van den Berg ,
M. Rebe ,
J. De Bruyn  and
H. Van Hamburg
J. van den Berg
Affiliation:
ARC-Grain Crops Institute, Private bag X1251, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
M. Rebe
Affiliation:
ARC-Grain Crops Institute, Private bag X1251, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
J. De Bruyn
Affiliation:
School for Environmental Sciences, Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
H. Van Hamburg
Affiliation:
School for Environmental Sciences, Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
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Abstract

The stemborers Busseola fusca (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Chilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) are important pests of maize and sorghum in South Africa. A habitat management system for these pests is being developed in the Northern Province of South Africa. This management system is similar to the one used in eastern Africa, where host and non-host plants of stemborers are used to repel moths away from the main crop and attract them to highly attractive trap plants. To identify possible trap crops, a survey of wild host plants of stemborers was undertaken in the Northern Province of South Africa and several new host plants were recorded. As a possible trap crop for stemborers, various Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) varieties were evaluated for oviposition preference by Ch. partellus moths and subsequent larval survival on those varieties. Few larvae survived longer than 15 days after inoculation onto Napier grass plants. A survey was conducted of farming practices that would affect the adoption of habitat management strategies. The high usage of tractors for ploughing may have a negative effect on adoption of perennial intercrops in a habitat management system. The common practice of free grazing animals also reduced the fodder value and benefit of trap crops. The value of Napier grass does not only lie in its use as trap crop but also as a measure to limit soil erosion and as animal feed.

Résumé

Les foreurs des tiges Busseola fusca (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) et Chilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) sont des ravageurs importants du maïs et du sorgho en Afrique du Sud. Un système de gestion de l'habitat de ces ravageurs est en cours de développement dans la province nord de l'Afrique du Sud. Ce système de gestion est similaire à celui utilisé en Afrique de l'Est, où les plantes hôtes et non hôtes des foreurs des tiges sont utilisées pour repousser les papillons hors de la culture et les attirer vers des plantes pièges fortement attractives. Afin d'identifier de possibles cultures pièges, on a entrepris une enquête sur les plantes hôtes sauvages des foreurs des tiges dans la province nord de l'Afrique du Sud et plusieurs nouvelles plantes hôtes ont été trouvées. Plusieurs variétés d'herbes à éléphants (Pennisetum purpureum), pouvant jouer le rôle de culture piège pour les foreurs des tiges ont été évaluées pour tester la préférence ovipositionelle des adultes de C. partellus ainsi que la survie larvaire ultérieure. Très peu de larves survivent plus de 15 jours après l'infestation sur les plants d'herbe à éléphants. Une enquête a été conduite sur les pratiques culturales qui pourraient influencer l'adoption de stratégies de gestion de l'habitat. L'utilisation importante des tracteurs pour labourer pourrait avoir une influence négative sur l'adoption de cultures associées pérennes dans un système de gestion de l'habitat. La pratique courante du libre pâturage des animaux réduit également la valeur du fourrage et le bénéfice des cultures pièges. La valeur de l'herbe à éléphants ne se résume pas seulement dans son utilisation comme culture piège mais aussi comme un moyen de limiter l'érosion du sol et comme fourrage.

Keywords

Busseola fuscaChilo partellushabitat managementSouth Africastemborerstrap plantsNapier grassBusseola fuscaChilo partellusgestion de l'habitatAfrique du Sudforeurs des tigesplantes piègesherbes à éléphants
Type
Research Articles
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 21 , Issue 4 , December 2001 , pp. 381 - 388
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 2001

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