Abstract
The present study aims at investigating damage and yield losses due to Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), which is one of the most important insect pests of maize in Kenya. A precise sampling scheme was applied to study the incidence of damage in maize caused by this insect pest on selected small-scale farms, on which pest control measures and fertilisers had not been applied. During the crop-growth stages and harvesting, plant and cob geometrical features were recorded, together with the length of tunnels bored by the insect. It is demonstrated that cob mass is an adequate variable for understanding yield losses caused by this pest. Although the number of plants damaged characterised by stem tunnels was greater than those with cob tunnels, the damages inflicted in the ears have the most considerable impact for yield losses. The recorded yield losses ranged from 35.96% to 48.19%, corresponding to 56.85 to 133.48 Kg/ha in terms of average cob-mass reduction. In general, the cob tunnel and the time of infestation were linearly correlated, while cob tunnel length and cob biomass were linked by a cubic nonlinear function. The observed yield losses at harvest of the maize crop suggest that control measures should be applied continuously, throughout the whole growing season.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ajala, S. O., & Saxena, K. N. (1994). Interrelationship among Chilo partellus damage parameters and their contribution to grain yield reduction in maize (Zea mays L.). Applied Entomology and Zoology, 29, 469–476. https://doi.org/10.1303/aez.29.469.
Akaike, H. (1974). A new look at the statistical model identification. IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, 19, 716–723. https://doi.org/10.1109/TAC.1974.1100705.
Ampofo, J. K. O. (1988). Assessment of on-farm losses in maize production due to insect pests. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 9, 687–690. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400005543.
Bardner, R., Flecher, K. E., & Fletcher, K. E. (1974). Insect infestations and their effects on the growth and yield of field crops: A review. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 64, 141–160. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007485300027061.
Bonhof, M. J., Van Huis, A., Kiros, F. G., & Dibogo, N. (2001). Farmers’ perceptions of importance, control methods and natural enemies of maize stemborers at the Kenya Coast. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 21, 33–42. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400020026.
Branca, A., Le Ru, B. P., Vavre, F., Silvain, J. F., & Dupas, S. (2011). Intraspecific specialization of the generalist parasitoid Cotesia sesamiae revealed by polyDNAvirus polymorphism and associated with different Wolbachia infection. Molecular Ecology, 20, 959–971. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2010.04977.x.
Bruce, Y. A., Schulthess, F., Mueke, J., & Gohole, L. (2009). Egg parasitoids of noctuid stemborers on maize in Kenya. International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services & Management, 5, 174–180. https://doi.org/10.1080/17451590903244810.
Calatayud, P. A., Le Ru, B., van den Berg, J., et al. (2014). Ecology of the African Maize Stalk Borer, Busseola fusca (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) with special reference to insect-plant interactions. Insects, 5, 539–563. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects5030539.
Cardwell, K. F., Schulthess, F., Ndemah, R., & Ngoko, Z. (1997). A systems approach to assess crop health and maize yield losses due to pests and diseases in Cameroon. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 65, 33–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-8809(97)00056-X.
Chabi-Olaye, A., Nolte, C., Schulthess, F., & Borgemeister, C. (2005). Relationships of intercropped maize, stem borer damage to maize yield and land-use efficiency in the humid forest of Cameroon. Bulletin of Entomological Research. https://doi.org/10.1079/BER2005373.
Chabi-Olaye, A., Nolte, C., Schulthess, F., & Borgemeister, C. (2006). Relationships of soil fertility and stem borers damage to yield in maize-based cropping system in Cameroon. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, 42, 471–479. https://doi.org/10.1080/00379271.2006.10697481.
Chabi-Olaye, A., Schulthess, F., & Borgemeister, C. (2008). Effects of nitrogen and potassium combinations on yields and infestations of maize by Busseola fusca (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the humid forest of Cameroon. Journal of Economic Entomology, 101, 90–98. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/101.1.90.
Conover, W. J., Johnson, M. E., & Johnson, M. M. (1981). A comparative study of tests for homogeneity of variances, with applications to the outer continental shelf bidding data. Technometrics, 23, 351–361. https://doi.org/10.1080/00401706.1981.10487680.
Critchley, B. R., Hall, D. R., Farman, D. I., et al. (1997). Monitoring and mating disruption of the maize stalkborer, Busseola fusca, in Kenya with pheromones. Crop Protection, 16, 541–548. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-2194(97)00026-4.
Cugala, D., Schulthess, F., Ogol, C. P. O., & Omwega, C. O. (2006). Assessment of the impact of natural enemies on stemborer infestations and yield loss in maize using selected insecticides in Mozambique. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, 42, 503–510. https://doi.org/10.1080/00379271.2006.10697485.
De Groote, H. (2002). Maize yield loss from stem borers in Kenya. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 22, 89–96. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400015162.
Ebenebe, A. A., Van den Berg, J., & Van der Linde, T. C. (1999). Effect of planting date of maize on damage and yield loss caused by the stalk borer, Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Lesotho. South African Journal of Plant and Soil, 16, 180–185. https://doi.org/10.1080/02571862.1999.10635007.
Ebenebe, A. A., Van Den Berg, J., & Van der Linde, T. C. (2001). Farm management practices and farmers’ perceptions of stalk-borers of maize and sorghum in Lesotho. International Journal of Pest Management, 47, 41–48. https://doi.org/10.1080/09670870150215586.
Fligner, M. A., & Killeen, T. J. (1976). Distribution-free two-sample tests for scale. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 71, 210–213. https://doi.org/10.1080/01621459.1976.10481517.
Harris, K. M. (1962). Lepidopterous stem borers of cereals in Nigeria. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 169–171. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007485300048021.
Harris, K. M. M., & Nwanze, K. E. E. (1992). Busseola fusca (Fuller), the African maize stalk borer: A handbook of information. Patanchem: International Crops Research Institute for Semi-arid Tropics.
Herbert, D. A. (2000). Biotic stress and yield loss. Boca Raton: CRC Press.
Ingram, W. R. (1958). The Lepidopterous Stalk Borers associated with Gramineae in Uganda. Bulletin of Entomological Research, 49, 367–383. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007485300053682.
Kfir, R., Overholt, W. A., Khan, Z. R., & Polaszek, A. (2002). Biology and management of economically important lepidopteran cereal stem borers in Africa. Annual Review of Entomology, 47, 701–731. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.47.091201.145254.
Kottek, M., Grieser, J., Beck, C., et al. (2006). World map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification updated. Meteorol Zeitschrift, 15, 259–263. https://doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2006/0130.
Macfarlane, J. H. (1990). Damage assessment and yield losses in sorghum due to the stem borer Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Northern Nigeria. Tropical Pest Management, 36, 131–137. https://doi.org/10.1080/09670879009371456.
Madden, L. V., Nutter, J. F. W., & Nutter, F. W. (1995). Modeling crop losses at the field scale. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology, 17, 124–137. https://doi.org/10.1080/07060669509500703.
Maniania, N. K., Ouna, E., Ahuya, P., et al. (2011). Dissemination of entomopathogenic fungi using Busseola fusca male as vector. Biological Control, 58, 374–378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2011.05.012.
Marquardt, D. W. (1963). An algorithm for least-squares estimation of nonlinear parameters. Journal of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, 11, 431–441. https://doi.org/10.1137/0111030.
Mgoo, V. H., Makundi, R. H., Pallangyo, B., et al. (2006). Yield loss due to the stemborer Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) at different nitrogen application rates to maize. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, 42, 487–494. https://doi.org/10.1080/00379271.2006.10697483.
Ndemah, R., & Schulthess, F. (2002). Yield of maize in relation to natural field infestations and damage by lepidopteran borers in the forest and forest/savanna transition zones of Cameroon. Insect Science and Its Application, 22, 183–192.
Ndemah, R., Schulthess, F., Korie, S., et al. (2001). Distribution, relative importance and effect of lepidopterous borers on maize yields in the forest zone and mid-altitude of Cameroon. Journal of Economic Entomology, 94, 1434–1444. https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-94.6.1434.
Ndemah, R., Schulthess, F., Korie, S., et al. (2003a). Factors affecting infestations of the stalk borer Busseola fusca (Lepitoptera: Noctuidae) on maize in the forest zone of Cameroon with Special reference to scelionid egg parasitoids. Environmental Entomology, 32, 51–60. https://doi.org/10.1603/0046-225X-32.1.51.
Ndemah, R., Schulthess, F., Korie, S., et al. (2003b). (Lepitoptera: Noctuidae) on maize in the forest zone of Cameroon with special reference to scelionid egg parasitoids. Environmental Entomology, 32, 51–60. https://doi.org/10.1603/0046-225X-32.1.51.
Ndjomatchoua, F. T., Tonnang, H. E. Z., Plantamp, C., et al. (2016). Spatial and temporal spread of maize stem borer Busseola fusca (fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) damage in smallholder farms. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 235, 105–118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.10.01.
Oben, E. O., Ntonifor, N. N., Kekeunou, S., & Abbeytakor, M. N. (2015). Farmers knowledge and perception on maize stem borers and their indigenous control methods in south western region of Cameroon. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 11, 77. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-015-0061-z.
Ong’amo, G. O., Le Rü, B. P., Dupas, S., et al. (2006). Distribution, pest status and agro-climatic preferences of lepidopteran stem borers of maize in Kenya. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France, 42, 171–177. https://doi.org/10.1080/00379271.2006.10700620.
Polaszek, A. (Ed.). (1998). African cereal stem borers economic importance, taxonomy, natural enemies and control. Wallingford: CTA/CABI.
R Core Development Team. (2013). R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing.
Ranum, P., Peña-Rosas, J. P., & Garcia-Casal, M. N. (2014). Global maize production, utilization, and consumption. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1312, 105–112. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.12396.
Reddy, K. S., & Walker, P. T. (1990). A review of the yield losses in graminanous crops caused by Chilo SPP. Insect Sci Appl, 11, 563–569. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400021123.
Reddy, K. V. S., Sum, K. O. O. S., Seshu, R. K. V., & Sum, K. O. O. S. (1991). Determination of economic injury level of the stem borer, Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) in maize, Zea Mays L. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 12, 269–274. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400020786.
Savary, S., Teng, P. S., Willocquet, L., & Nutter, F. W. (2006). Quantification and modeling of crop losses: A review of purposes. Annual Review of Phytopathology, 44, 89–112. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.phyto.44.070505.143342.
Usua, E. J. (1968). Effect of varying populations of Busseola fusca larvae on the growth and yield of maize. Journal of Economic Entomology, 61, 375–376. https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/61.2.375.
van den Berg, J., van Rensburg, J. B. J., & Giliomee, J. H. (1991). The effect of plant density on the injuriousness of Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in grain sorghum. South African Journal of Plant and Soil, 8, 85–87. https://doi.org/10.1080/02571862.1991.10634585.
Van den Berg, J., Nur, A. F., & Polaszek, A. (1998). Cultural control. In A. Polaszek (Ed.), African cereal stem borers: Economic importance, taxonomy, natural enemies and control (pp. 333–347). Wallingford: CABI.
van Rensburg, J. B. J. (2001). Larval mortality and injury patterns of the African stalk borer, Busseola fusca (Fuller) on various plant parts of Bt -transgenic maize. South African Journal of Plant and Soil, 18, 62–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/02571862.2001.10634405.
van Rensburg, J. B. J., & van den Berg, J. (1992). Stem borers in grain sorghum: I. Injury patterns with time after crop emergence. South African Journal of Plant and Soil, 9, 73–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/02571862.1992.10634607.
van Rensburg, J. B., Walters, M. C., Giliomee, J. H., et al. (1988a). Plant population and cultivar effects on yield losses caused by the maize stalk borer, Busseola fusca (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). South African Journal of Plant and Soil, 5, 215–218. https://doi.org/10.1080/02571862.1988.10634989.
van Rensburg, J. B. J., Giliomee, J. H., & Walters, M. C. (1988b). Aspects of the injuriousness of the maize stalk borer, Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidodtera: Noctuidae). Bulletin of Entomological Research, 78, 101–110. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007485300016102.
van Rensburg, J. B. J., Walters, M. C., & Giliomee, J. H. (1988c). Response of maize to levels and times of infestation by Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Journal of the Entomological Society of South Africa, 51, 283.
Walker, P. T. (1960). The relation between infestation by the stalk borer, Busseola fusca, and yield of maize in East Africa. The Annals of Applied Biology, 48, 780–786. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7348.1960.tb03579.x.
Walker, P. T. (1981). The relation between infestation by Lepidopterous stem borers and yield in maize: Methods and results 1. EPPO Bulletin, 11, 101–106. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2338.1981.tb01774.x.
Walker, P. T. (1983a). The assessment of crop losses in cereals. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 4, 99–104. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400004082.
Walker, P. T. (1983b). Crop losses: The need to quantify the effects of pests, diseases and weeds on agricultural production. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 9, 119–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-8809(83)90038-5.
Walker, P. T. (1987). Losses in yield due to pests in tropical crops and their value in policy decision-making. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, 8, 665–671. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400022761.
Zadoks, J. C. (1985). On the conceptual basis of crop loss assessment: The threshold theory. Annual Review of Phytopathology, 23, 455–473. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.py.23.090185.002323.
Acknowledgment
Authors gratefully thank the team members of the Noctuid Stemborer Borer Biodiversity (NSBB) project at ICIPE for their technical assistance during field data collection , measurements, and species identification. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is acknowledged for the scholarship granted to first Author. The field work was financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, through the Climate Change Impacts of Ecosystem Services and Food Security in Eastern Africa (CHIESA) project.
Author’s Contribution
Conceived and designed the experiments: FTN, HEZT, CT, BLR. Performed the experiments: FTN. Analysed the data: FTN. Wrote the paper: FTN, HEZT, CT, BLR.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Research Involving Human Participants and/or Animals and Informed Consent
Not applicable to this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ndjomatchoua, F.T., Tonnang, H.E.Z., Tchawoua, C., LeRu, B.P. (2020). Injury and Yield Losses Due to the Maize Stem Borer Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Smallholder Farms. In: Niassy, S., Ekesi, S., Migiro, L., Otieno, W. (eds) Sustainable Management of Invasive Pests in Africa. Sustainability in Plant and Crop Protection, vol 14. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41083-4_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41083-4_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-41082-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-41083-4
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)