Abstract
This study was undertaken to provide new knowledge on biodiversity of aphids and their complex of natural enemies in vegetable agroecosystems in Benin. During a 2-year survey (2007/2008 to 2008/2009), aphid species, their host plants and natural enemies were identified from samples collected from 29 vegetable and 22 weed species at 30 vegetable production sites across Benin. A total of 82% of the vegetable species and 12% of the weed species were infested with aphids. Aphis gossypii Glover infested a wide range of the vegetables and occurred on 62% of the species, while Aphis craccivora Koch, Aphis spiraecola Patch, Lipaphis erysimi (Kalt.), Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and Toxoptera odinae (Van de Goot) were collected from a limited number of vegetables, each with a frequency occurrence ranging from 3 to 28%. The weeds Commelina benghalensis L. and Euphorbia hirta L. were common alternative weed hosts for aphids. Common natural enemies were the predators Cheilomenes propinqua (Mulsant), Cheilomenes sulphurea (Olivier) and Ischiodon aegyptius (Wiedemann), the obligate entomopathogen Neozygites sp., and the parasitoids Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson) and Aphelinus ficusae Prinsloo & Neser. Lysiphlebus testaceipes was usually the only primary parasitoid on aphids across the sites and its common host was A. gossypii. From parasitized mummies, five species of hyperparasitoids were collected, the most abundant being Syrphophagus africanus (Gahan). These are the first records of L. testaceipes, S. africanus and A. spiraecola from West Africa. These findings provide baseline knowledge on the aphid fauna of Benin and contribute information for use in the development of sustainable vegetable pest management strategies in the country.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anonymous (2006) Document de Stratégie de réduction de la Pauvreté (DSRP II), Secteur Agricole. Version provisoire, Septembre 2006, Cotonou. 8 pp.
Atcha-Ahowé C, James B., Godonou L, Boulga J., Agbotse S. K., Kone D., Kogo A., Salawu R. and Glitho I. A. (2009) Status of chemical control applications for vegetable production in Benin, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Togo - West Africa, pp. 4–14. In Pesticides Management in West Africa (edited by H. Clarendon and A. Youdeowei). No. 7. FAO and ECOWAS, Abuja.
Autrique A. and Ntahimpera L. (1994) Atlas des principales espèces de pucerons rencontrées en Afrique Sud-saharienne. Publication Agricole No. 33. Administration Générale de la Coopération au Développement, Rue du Trône 4, Bruxelles. 78 pp.
Autrique A., Starý P. and Ntahimpera L. (1989) Biological control of pest aphids by hymenopterous parasitoids in Burundi. FAO Plant Protection Bulletin 37, 71–76.
Ben Halima-Kamel M. (2010) Efficacy of Lysiphlebus testaceipes Cresson in control of Aphis gossypii Glover on pepper, p. 54. In Proceedings of the International Symposium on Ecology of Aphidophaga 11. 19–24 September 2010, Perugia, Italy. Yamagata University, Japan.
Beniest J. (1987) Guide pratique du maraîchage au Sénégal. Centre de Développement de l’Horticulture. Collection cahier d’information no. 1, Clairafrique, Dakar. 144 pp.
Blackman R. L. and Eastop V. E (2000) Aphids on the World’s Crops: An Identification and Information Guide, 2nd edn. John Wiley and Sons Ltd, Chichester. 466 pp.
Bordat D. and Goudegnon E. (1991) Catalogue des principaux ravageurs des cultures maraîchères au Benin. CIRAD, Montpellier. 15 pp.
Catling H. D. (1970) The bionomics of the South African citrus psylla Trioza erytreae (Del Guercio) (Homoptera: Psyllidae): the influence of predators. Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 33, 341–348.
d’Arondel de Hayes J. and Traoré G. (1990) Cultures Maraîchères en zone Soudano-Sahélienne; recueil de fiches techniques. CNRST/CIRAD/IRAT/Ministère des enseignements secondaires, superieurs et de la recherche scientifique, Ouagadougou. 79 pp.
Davies J. C. (1972) Studies on the ecology of Aphis craccivora Koch (Hem., Aphididae), the vector of rosette disease of groundnuts, in Uganda. Bulletin of Entomological Research 62, 169–182.
Greathead D. J. (2003) Historical overview of biological control in Africa, pp. 1–26. In Biological Control in 1PM Systems in Africa (edited by P. Neuenschwander, C. Borgemeister and J. Langewald). CABI, Wallingford.
Hodek I., Chakrabarti S. and Rejmanek M. (1984) The effect of prey density on food intake by adult Cheilomenes sulphurea (Col.: Coccinellidae). BioControl 29, 179–184.
Hounkpodoté M. R. and Tossou C. C. (2001) Profil des interactions entre la problématique foncière et le développement de l’Agriculture urbaine. Rapport final. Chambre d’Agriculture du Benin, IAGU et RFAU/AOC. 73 pp.
James B., Atcha-Ahowé C, Godonou I., Baimey H, Goergen G., Sikirou R. and Toko M. (2010) Integrated Pest Management in Vegetable Production: A Guide for Extension Workers in West Africa. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (UTA), Ibadan. 120 pp.
Laamari M., Naima K., Halima M., Sihem G. and Starý P. (2009) Importance des hyménoptères parasitoïdes des pucerons en Algérie. Available at https://doi.org/www.amppmaroc.org/Exposes_Colloque/42.pdf (accessed 24 September 2010).
Lund T, Saethre M.-G., Nyborg I., Coulibaly O. and Rahman M. H. (2010) Farmer field school-IPM impacts on urban and peri-urban vegetable producers in Cotonou, Benin. International Journal of Tropical Insect Science 30, 19–31.
Mackauer M. and Starý P. (1967) Hymenoptera: Ichneu-monoidea, world Aphidiidae, pp. 1–167. In Index of Entomophagous Insects (edited by V. Delucchi and G. Remaudière). Le François, Paris.
Méhoba A. (2000) Influence de la fumure sur les problèmes phytosanitaires de la tomate - projet création d’une unité de promotion de tomate. Mémoire du Diplôme d’Etudes Agricoles Tropicales, Lycée Agricole Médji de Sékou, Bénin. 57 pp.
Müller C. B., Adriaanse I. C. T, Beishaw R. and Godfray H. C. J. (1999) The structure of an aphid-parasitoid community. Journal of Animal Ecology 68, 346–370.
Müller C. B., Völkl W. and Godfray H. C. (1997) Are behavioural changes in parasitised aphids a protection against superparasitism? European Journal of Entomology 94, 221–234.
Remaudiére G. and Autrique A. (1985) Introduction, pp. 7–9. In Contribution à l’écologie des aphides africains (edited by G. Remaudière, A. Autrique, V. F. Eastop, P. Starý, G. Aymonin, J. Kafurera and R. Dedonder). FAO, Rome.
Rosendahl I., Laabs V., Atcha-Ahove C, James B. and Amelung W. (2009) Insecticide dissipation from soil and plant surfaces in tropical horticulture of southern Benin, West Africa. Journal of Environmental Monitoring 11, 1157–1164.
Saethre M.-G., Hofsvang T, Godonou I. and Tepa Yotto G T. (2010) Invasive parasitoids and native hyperpar-asitoids: a study from vegetable agro-ecosystems in Benin, West Africa, p. 87. In Proceedings of the International Symposium on Ecology of Aphidophaga 11. 19–24 September 2010, Perugia, Italy. Yamagata University, Japan.
Starý P., Lyon J. P. and Leclant F. (1988) Biocontrol of aphids by the introduced Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cress.) (Hym., Apidiidae) in Mediterranean France. Journal of Applied Entomology 105, 74–87.
Starý P., Remaudière G. and Autrique A. (1985) Les aphidiides parasites de pucerons en region Ethiopienne, pp. 95–102. In Contribution à l’écologie des aphides africains. Etude FAO Production végétale et protection des plantes 64 (edited by G. Remaudière, A. Autrique, V. F. Eastop, P. Starý, G. Aymonin, J. Kafurera and R. Dedonder). FAO, Rome.
Vayssières J. F, Delvare G., Maldès J. M. and Aberlenc H. P. (2001) Inventaire preliminaire des arthropodes ravageurs et auxiliaires des cultures maraicheres sur l’ile de la Rèunion. Insect Science and Its Application 21, 1–22.
Wijerathna M. A. P. and Edirisinghe P. (1997) A survey of vegetable-infesting aphids in Sri Lanka, and their natural enemies. Tropical Agriculture 74, 49–57.
Zossou E. E. B. E. (2004) Analyse des déterminants socio-économiques des pratiques phytosanitaires: cas des cultures maraîchères à Cotonou (Département du Littoral, Bénin). Thèse d’Ingénieur Agronome, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin. 104 pp.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Saethre, M.G., Godonou, I., Hofsvang, T. et al. Aphids and their natural enemies in vegetable agroecosystems in Benin. Int J Trop Insect Sci 31, 103–117 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758411000191
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758411000191