Role of conspecifics and personal experience on behavioral avoidance of contaminated flowers by bumblebees

Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

Annales de la Societe Entomologique de France

Publication Date

1-1-2006

Abstract

Field trials were conducted at Kibaha and Morogoro in eastern Tanzania during two seasons to evaluate the effect of nitrogen fertilization (0, 50, 75, 100 kg [N]/ha) on pest abundance, plant damage and yield loss of maize due to stemborers. In general, ear and grain weights increased linearly with nitrogen level. In the infested plot, grain weight increased 2.5 and 1.8 fold from 0 to 100 kg [N]/ha in the short and long rainy season, respectively, at Kibaha, and 1.4 and 1.6 times at Morogoro. Yield loss decreased with an increase in nitrogen application and the effect was stronger under high than low borer infestation levels. The results show the beneficial effect of nitrogen on the plant’s ability to compensate for borer damage. Analysis of economic benefits of applying fertilizer and insecticide treatment indicated that using insecticides is not profitable under high-pest-low-soil fertility conditions. © 2006 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Keywords

Chilo partellus, Economic analysis, Nitrogen, Stemborer, Yield loss

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