Population and Breeding Patterns of the Pest Rodent: Mastomys natalensis in a Maize Dominated Agroecosystem in Lake Victoria Crescent Zone, Eastern Uganda

Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

Biocontrol Science and Technology

Publication Date

7-11-2001

Abstract

Busseola fusca (Fuller) is one of the most important pest of cereals in sub-Saharan Africa. Cotesia sesarniae (Cameron) is the predominant parasitoid attacking B. fusca larvae in many parts of Africa. An exotic parasitoid, Cotesia flavipes Cameron, was introduced into Kenya in 1993 for the control of Chilo partellus (Swinhoe). Laboratory studies indicated that although C. flavipes would search for, and attack B. fusca, it was not able to complete its development in this host. The aim of the present study was to investigate the outcome of multiple parasitism of B. fusca by the two Cotesia species. The study showed that when both parasitoid species stung a B. fusca larva at the same time, both parasitoids emerged from more than half of the host larvae, C. flavipes alone emerged from 17%, and C. sesamiae alone emerged from 9%. When the larvae were parasitized by C. sesamiae first, and then 2 h later by C. flavipes, and vice versa, most of the progeny were C. flavipes. However, when B. fusca larvae were stung by C. sesamiae three days before oviposition by C. flavipes, significantly more C. sesamiae emerged from the larvae. When C. flavipes oviposited first, no larvae produced C. flavipes only. The interaction of parasitoids and the host immune system, and the implications of these results for the biological control of stem borers in East Africa are discussed.

Keywords

Acceptance, Biological control, Braconidae, Gramineae, Host suitability, Larval parasitoids, Lepidoptera, Multiple parasitism, Pyralidae stem borers

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