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Suitability of West African Gramineous Stemborers for the Development of Cotesia Species

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Abstract

The palaeotropical, gregarious, endoparasitic braconids Cotesia sesamiae, Cotesia flavipes and Cotesia chilonis were recently imported into Benin as candidates for biological control of stem and cob borers of maize. Host acceptability and host suitability of six gramineous borers occurring in western Africa, namely the noctuids Sesamia calamistis, Sesamia poephaga, Busseola fusca and the pyralids Coniesta ignefusalis, Eldana saccharina and Mussidia nigrivenella, to these candidate parasitoids was evaluated in order to gain insight into the physiological suitability of the natural and factitious hosts. All hosts were accepted by all Cotesia spp., except M. nigrivenella which was not attacked by Co. chilonis. Parasitoid progeny development was successful in S. calamistis, S. poephaga and Con. ignefusalis. Sesamia calamistis was the most suitable host for Cotesia spp. development, in terms of duration of developmental time, brood size and mortality of parasitoid progeny.

Résumé

Les braconides palaeotropique endoparasitoides grégraires Cotesia sesamiae, Cotesia flavipes et Cotesia chilonis ont été récemment introduits au Bénin comme agents de lutte biologique des foreurs de tiges et mineurs d’épis. Les informations sur la convenance et l’acceptabilité de l’hôte de six foreurs de céréales présents en Afrique de l’Ouest, precisement les Noctuidae Sesamia calamistis, Sesamia poephaga, Busseola fusca, et les Pyralidae Coniesta ignefusalis, Eldana saccharina et Mussidia nigrivenella Ragonot, ont eté recueillies pour permettre de comprendre l’ancienne et la nouvelle associations parasitoide / hôte. A l’exception de M. nigrivenella qui n’était pas attaqué par Cot. chilonis, tous les autres foreurs étaient accepté par Cotesia spp. Les parasitoides ont pu se développer seulement sur S. calamistis, S. poephaga et Con. ignefusalis. Sesamia calamistis était de loin l’hôte le plus convenable pour le développement de Cotesia spp. s’agissant de la durée de développement, la taille de la progéniture et la mortalité préimaginale des parasitoides.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA

    Y. Hailemichael & J. W. Smith Jr.

  2. Biological Control Programme, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, BP 08-0932, Cotonou, Benin

    F. Schulthess

  3. International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi, Kenya

    W. A. Overholt

Authors
  1. Y. Hailemichael
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  2. F. Schulthess
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  3. J. W. Smith Jr.
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  4. W. A. Overholt
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Hailemichael, Y., Schulthess, F., Smith, J.W. et al. Suitability of West African Gramineous Stemborers for the Development of Cotesia Species. Int J Trop Insect Sci 17, 89–95 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400022207

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