Population incidence and the control of maize stalk-borers Chilo partellus (Swinh.), C. orichalcociliellus Strand and Sesamia calamistis Hmps, in Coast Province, Kenya

AbstractCotesia flavipes Cameron, a gregarious larval endoparasitoid native to the Indo-Australian region, was imported from Pakistan and released in Kenya in 1993 for management of the exotic stemborer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe). Recent reports confirmed the successful establishment of the parasitoid in three locations in Kenya and in northern Tanzania. Functional response studies on this parasitoid and an indigenous congener, Cotesia sesamiae (Cameron), indicated that C. flavipes had a higher searching ability and attacked more larvae when Chilo partellus was the host. When a native stemborer, Sesamia calamistis Hampson, was the host, there was no significant difference between numbers attacked by both parasitoids. Numerical response studies showed that Cotesia flavipes produced more total progeny and female progeny per female parasitoid on Chilo partellus than did Cotesia sesamiae. No significant difference in progeny production was detected between the two parasitoids on S. calamistis. Functional and numerical responses tested in the laboratory gave the same ranking of the two parasitoids on the two hosts as in the field. This study suggests that Cotesia flavipes is a more efficient parasitoid and it is anticipated that it will contribute to the control of both exotic and native stemborers in Kenya.

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Suitability of Chilo partellus, sesamia calamistis andbusseola fusca for the development of cotesia flavipes in Ethiopia: Implication for biological control

Ethiopian Journal of Biological Sciences ◽

10.4314/ejbs.v4i2.39018 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

Author(s):

E Getu

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Chilo Partellus ◽

Busseola Fusca ◽

Sesamia Calamistis ◽

Cotesia Flavipes

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Population Dynamics of the Stemborers Chilo partellus (Swinhoe), Busseola fusca (Fuller) and Sesamia calamistis Attacking Sorghum in Central Ethiopia

International Journal of Tropical Insect Science ◽

10.1017/s1742758400019408 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 19 (2-3) ◽

pp. 149-156 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Melaku Wale

Keyword(s):

Population Dynamics ◽

Chilo Partellus ◽

Busseola Fusca ◽

Sesamia Calamistis ◽

Central Ethiopia

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Evidence of the establishment of Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a parasitoid of cereal stemborers, and its host range expansion in Ethiopia

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1079/ber2003226 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 93 (2) ◽

pp. 125-129 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

E. Getu ◽

W. A Overholt ◽

E. Kairu ◽

C.O. Omwega

Keyword(s):

Host Range ◽

Chilo Partellus ◽

Range Expansion ◽

Busseola Fusca ◽

Sesamia Calamistis ◽

Cotesia Flavipes ◽

Eastern Ethiopia ◽

Host Range Expansion ◽

Percent Parasitism ◽

Grass Hosts

AbstractThree lepidopteran cereal stemborers, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Crambidae), Busseola fusca Fuller, and Sesamia calamistis Hampson (Noctuidae) were collected from maize and sorghum in Ethiopia. The noctuid stemborers are indigenous to Africa while C. partellus is an introduced species from Asia. In 1999, the Asian stemborer parasitoid, Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Braconidae) was found to be widespread in Ethiopia, even though it had never been released in the country. In addition to attacking Chilo partellus, Cotesia flavipes was reared from B. fusca and S. calamistis. The origin of C. flavipes in Ethiopia may have been Somalia where it was released in 1997 near the border with eastern Ethiopia. Percent parasitism of borers by C. flavipes was higher in eastern Ethiopia than other surveyed regions, and parasitism was higher in 2000 than 1999. Parasitism was higher when cereals were intercropped with other plants and when wild grass hosts of stemborers were present.

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Effects of intercropping on maize stemborers and their natural enemies

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485300039407 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 86 (5) ◽

pp. 599-607 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Henrik Skovgård ◽

Peeter Päts

Keyword(s):

Chilo Partellus ◽

Natural Enemies ◽

Inverse Relationship ◽

Host Density ◽

Sesamia Calamistis ◽

Density Dependent ◽

Pupal Parasitism ◽

Egg Parasitism

AbstractThe effects of maize–cowpea intercropping on three lepidopteran stemborers (Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) C. orichalcociliellus (Strand) and Sesamia calamistis Hampson) and their natural enemies were studied in Kenya. Oviposition was not affected by intercropping, but significantly fewer larvae and pupae were found in the intercrop. Egg parasitism was significantly higher in the intercrop reaching as high as 80% and was positively density dependent. Larval and pupal parasitism remained between 3 and 20%, but neither of these were affected by intercropping or host density. The main predators, ants and wandering spiders, were not augmented by intercropping, but an inverse relationship in abundance was found between these two predator groups. It is concluded that maize intercropped with cowpea has only limited potential as a method of controlling the key pests in maize.

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