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Compatibility and efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae and sex pheromone for controlling Thaumatotibia leucotreta

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Abstract

A sound IPM management for false codling moth (FCM), Thaumatotibia leucotreta, a devastating pest threatening horticultural production in Africa, is urgently needed. The compatibility of the dry conidia of virulent fungal isolate, Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 69 with FCM sex pheromone (Crytrack®) in the autoinoculation was assessed. The effect of the pheromone on the conidial germination was monitored for 4 weeks under field conditions. The multilocation trial was implemented in Machakos and Makueni counties in Kenya to test the efficacy of M. anisopliae ICIPE 69 and Last Call FCM® for T. leucotreta control in orange orchards. The treatments evaluated were (1) M. anisopliae ICIPE 69 (Campaign® and dry conidia); (2) Last Call FCM®; (3) M. anisopliae ICIPE 69 (Campaign® and dry conidia) and Last Call FCM®; and (4) Untreated control orchards. Results show that the conidial viability is not affected by the pheromone. For the multilocation FCM control trial, all treated orchards recorded a significant reduction in the FCM population and consequently fruit infestation, relative to the control (no intervention). FCM infested fruits were 18, 27, 5, and 49% in the treatments 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively, in Machakos, and 24, 31, 7, and 54% for treatments 1, 2, 3 and 4 in Makueni. The highest marketable yield was recorded in orchards that received treatment 3 for both counties. The yield was 10,880.68 and 11,192.26 kg orange fruit/ha for Machakos and Makueni, respectively. The implication for the management of FCM is discussed in light of the findings of this study.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support for this research by the following organizations and agencies: the specific restricted project donors Deutsche Gesellchaft fu¨r Internationale Zusammernarbeit GIZ Grant Number 14.1432.5-001.00; and Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation’, the Section for research, innovation, and higher education grant number RAF-3058 KEN-18/0005. We also gratefully acknowledge the financial support through the core donors of ICIPE, UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO); the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida); the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; and the Government of the Republic of Kenya.. Abdullah Mkiga was supported by a German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) In-Region Postgraduate Scholarship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya

    Abdullah Mohamed Mkiga, Samira Abuelgasim Mohamed, Fathiya Mbarak Khamis, Komivi Senyo Akutse, Peterson Wachira Nderitu, Saliou Niassy, Beatrice Wambui Muriithi & Sunday Ekesi

  2. North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa

    Abdullah Mohamed Mkiga & Hannalene du Plessis

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  1. Abdullah Mohamed Mkiga
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  2. Samira Abuelgasim Mohamed
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Correspondence to Abdullah Mohamed Mkiga or Samira Abuelgasim Mohamed.

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Mkiga, A.M., Mohamed, S.A., du Plessis, H. et al. Compatibility and efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae and sex pheromone for controlling Thaumatotibia leucotreta. J Pest Sci 94, 393–407 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-020-01281-z

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