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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
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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

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