Microhabitat Characteristics of Myopopone Castanea (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Oil Palm Plantation

Ants are social insects which widespread and play many important roles in an ecosystem. Myopopone castanea ants are a predator for the pre-adult stage of pest Oryctes rhinoceros which is one of the important pests in oil palm plantations. At the oil palm plantations, M. castanea and pre-mature stadia from pests O. rhinoceros live on decaying palm oil stems. This study aimed to explore the presence and the microhabitat characteristics of M. castanea ant in oil palm plantation so that mass rearing of M. castanea ants can be carried out in the laboratory to support the natural enemy augmentation program in biological control of O. rhinoceros pest. The exploration of ant nests was carried out in two plantation locations: smallholder oil palm plantations in Tanah Merah sub-district, Binjai Selatan Subdistrict, Binjai and PTPN 2 and PTPN 4 in Deli Serdang and Serdang Bedagai districts, North Sumatra Province. The results showed that the colonies of M. castanea in both of plantations vary greatly in the size of the number and stage of the ant development stage. Average of abiotic factors in the microhabitat of M. castanea ants in PTPN plantation (t = 29.7 0C, Rh = 70%, pH = 6.03 and C / N ratio = 66.18%), while for smallholder plantation (t = 29.1 0C, Rh = 70.9%, pH = 6.39 and C / N ratio = 69.01%). A suitable abiotic environment will support life and mass rearing of M. castanea ant colonies.

Fall Armyworm (FAW) Epidemic in Sri Lanka: Ratnapura District Perspectives

A recent outbreak of FAW (Spodoptera frugiperda) caused a substantial yield loss in corn was recorded in Sri Lanka especially from Uva, Eastern and North Central provinces. This was first reported in Sri Lanka in August 2018 and over the last six months, the livelihood of the majority of small-scale farming families was greatly affected. National mobilization of resources, agriculture related institutions together with university academia actively participated with the government campaign of combating the pest and improving the livelihood of affected people all over the country. The effort of this short communication is to describe the magnitude of FAW infestation, its implications in Ratnapura District, Sri Lanka and the contribution of the inter-institutional support towards the sustainable management of the Fall ArmyWorm epidemic in Sri Lanka. Amount of land extent used for corn cultivation in Ratnapura district was estimated as 292.65ha, while 32.95 ha were infected with the pest (11.3%). Highest provincial land extent use for corn in Sri Lanka was Uva province where considerable pest damage has been reported. In Uva, total 42436.7 ha were cultivated in maha season where 30998.3 ha has infected and destroyed (73%). Even though corn was cultivated in lower land extent in Ratnapura, effective and organized disaster management response in Ratnapura was able to minimize the pest impact to 11.3% from total losses.

Bioefficacy of different insecticides on cowpea aphid (Aphis craccivora Koch)

Aphid (Aphis craccivora Koch) is one of the serious pests of cowpea. Bioefficacy of four insecticides with different concentrations namely Jholmol (125 ml/L), Neemix (2 ml/L), Cannabis extract (100 g/L), Chlorpyrifos 50% EC and Cypermethrin 5% EC (2 ml/L) along with control were evaluated against aphid at Research Station of Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal in 2018. Five treatments; four different insecticides and control were laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The results indicated that all the insecticides were significant for aphid reduction. The effects were higher in Neemix followed by Jholmol and cannabis extract. The yield of cowpea was significantly highest (11.10 t/ha) with Neemix application, while lowest in control (7.58 t/ha). The highest net profit (NRs.61670) was obtained in Neemix followed by treatments of Jholmol (NRs.46175) and Cannabis extract (NRs.35815). The lowest incremental Cost/Benefit ratio was obtained in Neemix (1.341) and followed by treatments of, jholmol (1/1.12) and Cannabis extract (1/0.85), respectively. Thus, application of Neemix @ 2 ml/L could be used in cowpea to control aphid with high yield.

Field Evaluation of Different Coffee Cultivars (Coffea sp.) against the Infestation of Coffee Berry Borer (Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari)

One of the major constraints to coffee production throughout the world is the damage caused by the Coffee Berry Borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari). The first report of the occurrence of CBB appears to be that of 1935 in Rathnapura District in Sri Lanka. It is now prevalent in all areas, at varying degree of damage to both Arabica and Robusta coffee. Damage on coffee berries bribes in heavy losses on economical production of coffee in developing countries, including Sri Lanka. The objective of this study was to identify the infestation level of CBB in six selected coffee cultivars and to assess the CBB populations in coffee fields. Six selected coffee cultivars were, Catimour, S4711, HDT of Arabica species and IMY, CCI, BS5 of Robusta species. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design, with six treatments and three blocks. Damage severity was recorded on fifty-four tagged coffee plants. Ten branches were selected from a coffee plant where each branch contained more than fifty berries. Data were collected on the same berry cluster, during three months at weekly intervals. Starting from zero damaged berries, the diameter of coffee berry was measured by using a Vernier calliper (0.1mm). Ninety coffee berries were randomly selected from each of Arabica and Robusta for measurements. The data were recorded continuously during the three months at weekly intervals. The results showed that there were significant CBB damage differences among the coffee cultivars. Among the selected cultivars BS5 was the least damage by CBB and HDT was the most susceptible cultivar and S4711 was also found to be susceptible but to a lesser extent. CBB populations were high in Arabica field than in Robusta field. When the diameter of the coffee berry increase, the level of infestation of CBB also increases.

Lab studies on trail following behavior of the termite Hypotermes obscuriceps towards 2-Phenoxyethanol

Hypotermes obscuriceps is the most abundant of termite species found in North-eastern Puducherry. It has been seen to assimilate ligninous waste kept for degradation in the termireactors designed earlier by the authors by the process of termigradation. Termigradation is a termite-based biodegradation process and involves attracting termites towards the ligninous waste in specially designed reactors. Such reactors are kept in pits or aboveground near termite mounds. In order to increase the number of termites that will move towards the feed kept in such termireactors, 2-Phenoxyethanol (2-PE) was explored in the laboratory for making trails that may attract H. obscuriceps. Five different concentrations of 2-PE, ranging from 0.1 to 0.0005% were explored and in controlled experiments, the numbers of termites that followed the trails made by these levels of 2-PE as a function of time were determined. It was seen that all the trails that contained 2-PE attracted H. obscuriceps and none was toxic to termites for the first 60 minutes.

Status of Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), Biology and Control Measures on Maize Crop in Ethiopia: A Review

Maize (Zea mays) is one of the main and popular cereal crops due to its high value as stable food as well as its stover demand for animal feed and fuel and even for construction purposes. Despite its current productivity is higher than other major cereal crops, the yield productivity is below its potential. These are due to many biotic and abiotic factors that can contribute to its yield potential of productivity to be below the previous productivity. The Fall Army Worm (FAW) is among the major factors contributing to low productivity currently in Ethiopia from its introduction in February 2017. Now it has covered about 52, 962 hectares in 144 districts in six of the major maize-growing regional states, namely Benishangul-Gumuz, Amhara, Tigray, Gambella, Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ Region. FAW, a new devastating insect pest is one of serious major problems for agricultural crop production especially under police family (maize) in Ethiopia under warm and humid conditions. This is due to its ability to breed rapidly, to migrate, and to feed on a wide range of host plants and these make it very difficult to control. Nonetheless, there are several ways of managing the pest reported in other parts of the world that can potentially be adapted and/or validated and used in Ethiopia. Hence, to manage these sporadic pests we have to use different management options. Among those, cultural, chemical, biological and integrated pest management is commonly used in pest infestation. Therefore, this paper initiated with the objective of reviewing the Status of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), Biology and control measures on maize in Ethiopia.

Ultrastructural and Molecular Variants of Pseudococcus Elisae (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) from Neotropical Region

To the appropriated taxonomic relationships in mealybugs, and their phylogenetic classification is necessarycombined morphological and molecular techniques. The aim of the present investigation was to study the Pseudococcus elisae (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)of banana crop (Musa sp.) from Neotropical region by morphological and molecular techniques, as well as the phylogenetic relationships. Morphological techniques such as Light Microscopy (LM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used, supported by molecular analysis of three genes: 18S, E.F-1α and COXI. The microscopy analysis was performed at the Center for Research on Microscopic Structures in 2012, and the molecular analysis was carried out at the Molecular Phytopathology Laboratory,ending in 2014, both at the University of Costa Rica. By SEM, ultrastructural variations in the studied mealybugs were observed to the body of the insect, morphology of dorsal margen cerarii and anal lobe cerarii, trilocular pores and morphology of oral rim tubular ducts. The present investigation allowed recognizing ultrastructures of the mealybugs by influence of environmental conditions from Neotropical countries.

Influence of Feeding with different Plant Pollens on Prey- Stage Preference and Predation Rate of Neoseiulus Californicus (Mcgregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is an effective predator in greenhouses which feeds on plant injurious mites. Searching capacity is one of importance in the effectiveness of this predatory mite. In this research, the population fed with corn pollen, walnut and date pollen and the spider mite (four strains) were investigated. The prey-stage preference of N. californicus was studied on different developmental stages of Tetranychus urticae. The predation rate of rearing population of N. californicus was determined; it was used eggs of T. urticae. Experiments were carried out on strawberry disc in Petri dish (6 cm diameter) under laboratory conditions (27±1ºC temperature, 70±5% RH and 16L: 8D photoperiod). After 24 hours, the total numbers of prey consumed were counted. The predatory mites reared on different pollens prefer eggs or nymphs to adults and the Preference Index of different strains was not different. Result of consumed of spider mites by female predatory mites indicated the predation rate of the predatory mites fed with corn pollen (9±1.46), walnut pollen (8.19±0.99) and Date pollen (8.28±0.80) did not any significant difference, however when spider mites and the mentioned pollens were used, the predation rate of predatory mites when fed with T. urticae (14.74±0.94), Walnut (15.24±1.05) and date pollen (14.17±1.04) show significant difference with the population of corn pollen (10.0±0.95). The predation rate of four strains decreased at present of plant pollens. Use of the predatory mite fed with the different developmental stage of two-spotted spider mite and pollen in the biological control of the pests is useful.

Trends in Development and Utilization of Sericulture Resources for Diversification and Value Addition

Sericulture is an activity where every part can be used for multiple purposes. Sericulture implies significant quantities of secondary and waste products such as perforated silk cocoons, Bombyx mori chrysalides, bedding left-over larval dejections and mulberry plant waste, superseded cocoons, surplus mulberry leaf, root and wood biomass, mulberry fruits, mulberry root biomass etc. Therefore, sericulture to produce only silk fabric can now be transformed into the functional industry by applying appropriate methods in processing the secondary and waste products from sericulture, which can double or even triple the farmers’ income dramatically as obtained from the main activity of silk cocoon production. Thus, in order to ensure a profitable sericulture activity, it is necessary to process these secondary and waste products generated from different sericulture activities to obtain biologically active substances with important uses in: pharmaceutical, cosmetic, paper and cellulose, and organic agricultural food industries. Realizing the scope of utilizing by-products generated from different sericulture activities, in-depth research towards utility optimization is the prime need in placing the sericulture industry on a sound footing. The review is intended to focus on recent advances in comprehensive utilization, diversification and value addition of sericulture resources in broadening the sustainability of sericulture industry.