scholarly journals Natural enemies of the maize cob borer, Mussidia nigrivenella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Benin, West Africa

2002 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 343-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Sétamou ◽  
F. Schulthess ◽  
G. Goergen ◽  
H.-M. Poehling ◽  
C. Borgemeister

AbstractMussidia nigrivenella Ragonot is a pest of maize cobs in West Africa. It significantly reduces maize yields and grain quality, with quantitative losses of 2–25% at harvest, and up to 10–15% indirect losses due to an increase in storage pest infestation levels. Infestation by M. nigrivenella also significantly increased the susceptibility of maize to Aspergillus flavus infection and subsequent aflatoxin contamination. Surveys conducted in different agro-ecological zones of Benin on cultivated and wild host plants during 1994–1997 revealed one egg parasitoid, three larval parasitoids and one pupal parasitoid attacking M. nigrivenella. Egg parasitism was scarce on all host plants sampled and in all four agro-ecological zones. Parasitism by larval and pupal parasitoids was usually less than 10%, and varied with host plant species. Both larval and pupal parasitoids were rare or absent in cultivated maize fields. The solitary chalcidid pupal parasitoid, Antrocephalus crassipes Masi, was the predominant species, contributing approximately 53% of the observed mortality. Logistic regression analysis indicated that this parasitoid was more prevalent on fruits of Gardenia spp. (Rubiaceae) than on the other host plant species including maize used by M. nigrivenella, and was most abundant between February and September. The differences in parasitoid diversity and parasitism between Benin and other regions suggest that there are opportunities for biological control through introduction of exotic parasitoids or using the ‘new association’ approach, which uses natural enemies of closely related host species that occupy similar ecological niches to the target pest.

Author(s):  
Marcin W. Zielonka ◽  
Tom W. Pope ◽  
Simon R. Leather

Abstract The carnation tortrix moth, Cacoecimorpha pronubana (Hübner, [1799]) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is one of the most economically important insect species affecting the horticultural industry in the UK. The larvae consume foliage, flowers or fruits, and/or rolls leaves together with silken threads, negatively affecting the growth and/or aesthetics of the crop. In order to understand the polyphagous behaviour of this species within an ornamental crop habitat, we hypothesized that different host plant species affect its life history traits differently. This study investigated the effects of the host plant species on larval and pupal durations and sizes, and fecundity (the number of eggs and the number and size of egg clutches). At 20°C, 60% RH and a 16L:8D photoperiod larvae developed 10, 14, 20 and 36 days faster when reared on Christmas berry, Photinia (Rosaceae), than on cherry laurel, Prunus laurocerasus (Rosaceae), New Zealand broadleaf, Griselinia littoralis (Griseliniaceae), Mexican orange, Choisya ternata (Rutaceae), and firethorn, Pyracantha angustifolia (Rosaceae), respectively. Female pupae were 23.8 mg heavier than male pupae, and pupal weight was significantly correlated with the duration of larval development. The lowest and the highest mean numbers of eggs were produced by females reared on Pyracantha (41) and Photinia (202), respectively. Clutch size differed significantly among moths reared on different host plants, although the total number of eggs did not differ. This study showed that different ornamental host plants affect the development of C. pronubana differently. Improved understanding of the influence of host plant on the moth's life history parameters measured here will help in determining the economic impact that this species may have within the ornamental plant production environment, and may be used in developing more accurate crop protection methodologies within integrated pest management of this insect.


Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4802 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-334
Author(s):  
GAMZE KARACA ◽  
YUSUF KATILMIŞ

Field surveys were carried out to determine the richness of the Cynipidae fauna of Kazdağı National Park, located on the border of Edremit county (Balıkesir province, Turkey). Gall samples of cynipids were collected or photographed on Quercus and Rosa host plants. As a result, 53 cynipid species belonging to 3 different tribes were found or observed in the surveyed area. 14 and 8 species were recorded as new for the Cynipidae fauna of Balıkesir and Çanakkale provinces respectively, including the first locality record of Andricus hystrix Trotter, 1897 for Turkey. In addition, color photos of reared cynipid wasps from their galls and the observed cynipid galls on their host plant species are presented. 


2019 ◽  
Vol 59 ◽  
pp. e20195904 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Das Neves Ribeiro ◽  
Maria Isabel Protti de Andrade Balbi ◽  
Maria Virginia Urso-Guimarães

Herein, we studied the occurrence of insect galls from natural vegetation around the Itambé Cave, Altinópolis, SP, Brazil. A sampling effort of 7.5 hours resulted in 41 gall morphotypes on 21 host plant species from 14 families. The richest families of host plants in morphotypes were Fabaceae (N = 11), Euphorbiaceae (N = 7), and Malpighiaceae (N = 5). Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (N = 8), Croton floribundus Spreng. (N = 7), Diplopterys pubipetala (A. Juss.) W.R. Anderson & C.C. Davis (N = 5), and Bauhinia holophylla (Bong.) Steud. (N = 4) were the super host plant species. Among the gall makers obtained, cecidomyiids were reared in 81% of cases and Hemiptera (Diaspididae), Hymenoptera (Eurytomidae), Coleoptera (Apion sp./Apionidae), and Lepidoptera in 4.5% of cases, each. The parasitoids belong to the Chalcidoidea superfamily (Hymenoptera). One new species of Camptoneuromyiia (Cecidomyiidae) was found in Smilax oblongifolia Pohl ex Griseb. (Smilacaceae) as inquiline and a new species of Lestodiplosis in Diplopterys pubipetala (Malpighiaceae) was a predator. We also present the first register of Bauhinia holophylla as host plants of Cecidomyiidae, and we expand the occurrence of Rochadiplosis tibouchinae Tavares and Couridiplosis vena to São Paulo State. The results of this paper are a continuation of the description of gall morphotypes from the vegetation in Northeastern São Paulo State, and they also increase knowledge about the diversity of host plant and gall-maker associations in the Neotropical region.


Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3423 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
SERGIO ANTONIO VANIN ◽  
DANIELA DE CASSIA BENÁ ◽  
FABIANO FABIAN ALBERTONI

Immatures of the Phelypera schuppeli (Boheman, 1834) (Curculionidae; Hyperinae; Cepurini) are described, illustrated and compared with available descriptions of larvae and pupae of Hyperini. Immatures and adults from midwest (Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul; Pirenópolis, Goiás) and southeast Brazil (Bauru, São Paulo) were found on leaves of the host plant, Pachira aquatica Aubl. ( Malvaceae, formerly Bombacaceae), a tree used as an ornamental plant in many Brazilian frost-free cities. Larvae of P. schuppeli are exophytic, brightly colored, eruciform and possess abdominal ambulatory ampullae, resembling larvae of Lepidoptera. Mature larvae can spin globular lattice-like cocoons where pupation takes place. Data in the field and under laboratory conditions confirmed previously published biological observations on P. schuppeli. Additional information about defensive behaviors, process of cocoon construction and natural enemies, such as the larval predator Supputius cinticeps (Stål, 1860) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) and the prepupal and pupal parasitoid Jaliscoa nudipennis Bouček, 1993 (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), are reported.


Author(s):  
J. H. Lawton ◽  
M. MacGarvin

SynopsisBracken in Britain is a host for 27 species of insect herbivores, with a further 11 species that either feed below ground (and are poorly studied), or appear to be only rarely associated with the plant. A typical site in northern England has an average of 15–16 of these species in any one year. Compared with perennial herbaceous angiosperms with similar wide distributions, bracken is not noticeably depauperate in the number of insect species that feed upon it. Bracken in others parts of the world is attacked by a wide variety of insects, with more species present in the geographical areas where bracken is most common.The ‘feeding niches’ of some of these insects are reviewed. Most are very rare relative to the biomass of their host plants, probably because of the impact of natural enemies; the effect of most of the insects upon their host-plant is consequently negligible.Reverse effects, of host-plant upon the insects, are subtle but poorly understood. Experiments to elucidate these effects are briefly outlined.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-56
Author(s):  
Hendrival Hendrival ◽  
Purnama Hidayat ◽  
Ali Nurmansyah

The study of host range and population dynamic of B. tabaci in red chili pepper fiel dswas conducted in Sub-district of Pakem, District of Sleman, Province of Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta during dry season of May-October 2009. The study of host plants of B. tabaci from the red chili pepper fields revealed that there were 27 species of host plants belong to 22 genera of 13 families including crops and weeds. The host plants belong to families of Araceae, Amaranthaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Capparidaceae, Convolvulaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae, Oxalidaceae, Papilionaceae, Rubiaceae, Solanaceae and Sterculiaceae. The host plant families of Asteraceae and Euphorbiaceae had the most abundant population of B. tabaci. Geminivirus-like symptoms were found in the weeds of A. conyzoides and A. boehmerioides. Population of B. tabaci adults correlated with abundance of host plant species found in the red chili pepper fields. The population of B. tabaci in red chili pepper fields was affected by natural enemy population. Population dynamic of the parasitoid Eretmocerus sp. correlated with population dynamic of the parasitized nymph of B. tabaci. Parasitoid Eretmocerus sp. was potentially good in controlling population of B. tabaci nymph in red chili pepper fields.


2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 333-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
V.S. Nagrare ◽  
Bhausaheb Naikwadi ◽  
Vrushali Deshmukh ◽  
S. Kranthi

Abstract The cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), is an invasive pest of cotton, apart from several other important crops, and poses a serious threat to agricultural economy all over the world. Studies on the biology and population growth parameters of P. solenopsis on the five most preferred host plants, namely cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) (Malvaceae), China rose (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.) (Malvaceae), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) (Solanaceae), congress grass (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) (Asteraceae) and okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) (Malvaceae) were undertaken in the laboratory under controlled temperature and relative humidity. The mean cumulative development time of females was 16.61 days on cotton, 14.16 days on China rose, 14.13 days on okra, 14.00 days on tomato and 13.57 days on congress grass. The longest oviposition period was recorded on cotton (15.20 ± 1.87 days), while it was in the range of 9-10 days in the remaining host plants. Females lived longer (27.40 ± 1.76 days) when reared on cotton, while their life was shortest on tomato (14.60 ± 0.96 days). The highest fecundity was observed on cotton (328.30 ± 23.42), whereas it was found to be in the range 178-212 on the other hosts. The survival frequency from crawler to adult in females was highest on cotton (27.53%), while it was the lowest on tomato (15.87%). The highest net reproductive rate (284.3 females/female/generation), mean length of a generation (31.24 days), and intrinsic rate of increase (0.19 day−1) were recorded on cotton. The finite rate of increase was in the range of 1.18-1.20 (females/female/day) for all the selected host plants. The weekly multiplication rate was highest on China rose and congress grass (3.78), while it was the least on tomato (3.28). The corrected generation time was dissimilar in all the selected host plants, being highest on cotton (31.39 days) and the least on congress grass (27.71 days). The doubling time was shortest on congress grass (3.61 days), while it was longest on tomato (4.11 days). Hence, the host plant species significantly affects population growth of P. solenopsis.


1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (7) ◽  
pp. 1292-1295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xavier Nesme ◽  
Philippe Normand ◽  
Francine M. Tremblay ◽  
Maurice Lalonde

The question of compatibility between actinorhizal host plants and Frankia sp. was addressed using nodulation speed on Alnus spp. seedlings and Myrica gale seedlings. It was found that the speed of nodulation, defined as the mean time taken for the formation of the first prenodule, was a stable phenotype of both the Frankia strains and the host plants and that a distinction between slow-, medium-, and fast-nodulating Frankia strains could be made. The speed of nodulation of a given Frankia strain did not appear to be positively correlated to the original host plant from which isolation was first performed. It was, however, positively correlated with the Frankia strain and with the host plant species used for inoculation. Some optimal host plant – endophyte combinations were thus defined. Pure spore inocula of Frankia and in vitro propagated Alnus glutinosa plantlets were used to confirm that both the host plant and the microbial partners genetically influenced the nodulation process.


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