Abstract
Infestation levels and parasitism of lepidopteran stemborers on maize were assessed in four agroecological zones (AEZ) in Uganda. The indigenous noctuidBusseola fusca Fuller (Noctuidae) and the invasiveChilo partellus Swinhoe (Crambidae) were the most important stemborers recorded.C. partellus represented 77% of the stemborers in the Eastern AEZ whileB. fusca was dominant in the other AEZs, accounting for 60–79%. The proportion of infested plants was between 16% and 45% and borer density between 0.2 and 1.0 borers per plant. There was no clear relationship between damage and stem tunneling, which is often used to estimate yield loss.Telenomus busseolae Gahan (Scelionidae), the only egg parasitoid recovered, caused parasitism of up to 46% onB. fusca eggs. Several larval and pupal parasitoid species were recorded. The most common were the indigenous braconidCotesia sesamiae and the introducedCotesia flavipes, which are larval parasitoids ofB. fusca andC. partellus, respectively. Mean parasitism by the indigenousC. sesamiae ranged between 2.0% and 29.4% onB. fusca and from 0 to 13% onC. partellus. C. flavipes was recovered at most locations with parasitism of 0–30.5% onC. partellus and 0–12% onB. fusca; the latter was probably the result of multiparasitism as laboratory studies have shown that it was not a suitable host forC. partellus. Results indicated further that the parasitoid has not attained equilibrium 5 years after its introduction.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bernays, E.A., Chapman, R.F. and Woodhead, S. (1983) Behaviour of newly hatched larvae ofChilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidotera: Pyralidae) associated with their establishment in the host plant, sorghum.Bull. Entomol. Res. 73:65–74.
Bosque-Pérez, N.A. and Mareck, J.H. (1991) Distribution and species composition of lepidopterous maize borers in southern Nigeria.Bull. Entomol. Res. 80:363–368.
Chapman, R.F., Woodhead, S. and Bernays, E.A. (1983) Survival and dispersal of young larvae ofChilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in two cultivars of sorghum.Bull. Entomol. Res. 73:65–74.
CIBC (1968–1972) Annual Reports of the Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control, Farnham Royal, UK.
Cugala, D., Overholt, W.A., Santos, L. and Jowah, P. (2001) Acceptability and suitability of stemborers for oviposition and development ofCotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Mozambique.Afr. Crop Sci. J. Conf. Proc. 5:229–233.
Girling, D.J. (1978) The distribution and biology ofEldana saccharina (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and its relationship with stem-borers in Uganda.Bull. Entomol. Res. 68:411–488.
Gounou, S., Schulthess, F., Shanower, T., Hammond, W.H.O., Braima, H., Cudjoe, A.R.et al. (1994) Stem and ear borers of maize in Ghana. Plant Health Management Res. Monogr. 4. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Hargreaves, H. (1939) Notes on some pests of maize and millets in Uganda.East Afr. Agric. J. 5:104–109.
Harris, K.M. (1962) Lepidopterous stemborers of cereals in Nigeria.Bull. Entomol. Res. 53:139–171.
Ingram, W.R. (1958) The lepidopterous stalk borers associated with Graminae in Uganda.Bull. Entomol. Res. 49:367–383.
Jiang, N., Zhou, G., Overholt, W.A., Muchugu, E. and Schulthess, F. (2006) The temporal correlation and spatial synchrony in the stemborer and parasitoid system of coastal Kenya with climate effects.Ann. Soc. Entomol. Fr. 42 (in press).
Kalule, T., Ogeng-Latigo, M.W. and Okoth, V.A.O. (1997) Seasonal fluctuations and damage of lepidopteran stemborers of maize in a major Agroecozone of Uganda.Afr. Crop Sci. J. 5:385–393.
Kaufmann, T. (1983) Behavioural biology, feeding habits and ecology of three species of maize stemborers:Eldana saccharina (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae),Sesamia calamistis andBusseola fusca (Noctuidae) in Ibadan, Nigeria, West Africa.J. Ga. Entomol. Soc. 18:259–272.
Matama-Kauma, T., Kyamanywa, S., Ogwang, J.A., Omwega, C.O. and Willson, H.R. (2001) Cereal stemborer species complex and establishment ofCotesia flavipes Cameron in eastern Uganda.Insect Sci. Appl. 21:317–326.
Ndemah, R., Schulthess, F., Korie, S., Borgemeister, C. and Cardwell, K.F. (2001) Distribution, relative importance and effect of lepidopterous borers on maize yields in the forest zone and mid-altitude of Cameroon.J. Econ. Entomol. 94:1434–1444.
Ndemah, R., Schulthess, F., Korie, S., Borgemeister, C., Poehling, M. and Cardwell, K.F. (2003) Factors affecting infestations of the stalk borerBusseola fusca (Fuller) on maize in the forest zone of Cameroon with special reference to scelionid egg parasitoids.Environ. Entomol. 32:1–70.
Ndemah, R., Schulthess, F., Poehling, M., Borgemeister, C. and Goergen, G. (2001) Natural enemies of lepidopterous borers on maize and elephant grass in the forest zone of Cameroon.Bull. Entomol. Res. 91:205–212.
Ngi-song, A.J., Overholt, W.A. and Ayertey, J.N. (1995) Suitability of African gramineous stemborers for development ofCotesia flavipes andC. sesamiae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).Environ. Entomol. 24:978–984.
Ngi-song, A.J., Kimani-Njogu, S. and Overholt, W.A. (2001) Multiple parasitism byCotesia sesamiae andCotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) onBusseola fusca (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).Biocontrol Sci. Technol. 11:381–390.
Nye, I.W.R. (1960) The insect pests of graminaceous crops in East Africa.Colon. Res. Stud. No. 31. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London, UK.
Overholt, W.A., Ngi-song, A.J., Omwega, C.O., Kimani-Njogu, S.K., Mbapila, J.C., Sallam, M.N.et al. (1997) A review of the introduction and establishment ofCotesia flavipes Cameron in East Africa for biological control of cereal stemborers.Insect Sci. Appl. 17:79–88.
Päts, P. and Ekbom, B. (1992) Infestation and dispersal of early instars ofChilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) at different densities.Environ. Entomol. 25:1110–1113.
Rwomushana, I., Kyamanywa, S., Ngi-song, A.J. and Omwega, C.O. (2005) Larval and pupal parasitoids of Lepidoptera in Uganda with special reference to new associations.Int. J. Trop. Insect Sci. 25:274–280.
Sallam, M.N., Overholt, W.A. and Kairu, E. (1999) Comparative evaluation ofCotesia flavipes andC. sesamiae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) for the management ofChilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Kenya.Bull. Entomol. Res. 89:185–191.
SAS Institute (2001) Users’ Guide: Statistics, release 8.2 ed. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.
Schulthess, F., Bosque-Pérez, N.A., Chabi-Olaye, A., Gounou, S., Ndemah, R. and Goergen, G. (1997) Exchange of natural enemies of lepidopteran stemborers between African regions.Insect Sci. Appl. 17:97–108.
Schulthess, F., Chabi-Olaye, A. and Goergen, G. (2001) Seasonal fluctuation ofSesamia calamistis (Lepidoptera: Noctiudae) populations in maize fields in southern Benin.Biocontrol Sci. Technol. 11:756–777.
Seshu Reddy, K.V. and Walker, P.T. (1990) A review of the yield losses in graminaceous crops caused byChilo spp.Insect Sci. Appl. 11:563–569.
Sétamou, M. and Schulthess, F. (1995). The influence of egg parasitoids belonging to theTelenomus busseolae (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) species complex onSesamia calamistis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) populations in maize fields in Southern Benin.Biocontrol Sci. Technol. 5:69–81.
Sétamou, M., Schulthess, F., Bosque-Pérez, N.A. and Thomas-Odjo, A. (1995) The effect of stem and cob borers on maize subjected to different nitrogen treatments with special reference toSesamia calamistis Hampson (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).Entomol. Exp. Appl. 77:205–210.
Smithers, C.N. (1960) Some recent observations onBusseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in southern Rhodesia.Bull. Entomol. Res. 50:809–819.
Songa, J.M., Zhou, G. and Overholt, W.A. (2001) Relationships of stemborer damage and plant physical conditions to maize yield in a semi-arid zone of eastern Kenya.Insect Sci. Appl. 21:243–249.
Usua, E.J. (1968) Temperature and relative humidity effects on the development of immature stages of the maize stemborersBusseola fusca andSesamia calamistis.J. Econ. Entomol. 61:1091–1093.
Van Rensburg, J.B.J., Walters, M.C. and Giliomee, J.H. (1987) Ecology of the maize stalk borer,Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).Bull. Entomol. Res. 77:255–269.
Van Rensburg, J.B.J., Walters, M.C. and Giliomee, J.H. (1988) Aspects of the injuriousness of the maize stalk borer,Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).Bull. Entomol. Res. 78:101–110.
Van Rensburg, J.B.J., Walters, M.C. and Giliomee, J.H. (1989) Selective oviposition by the maize stalk borer,Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).J. Entomol. Soc. South. Afr. 52:105–108.
Zhou, G., Baumgartner, J. and Overholt, W.A. (2001) Impact assessment of an exotic parasitoid on stemborer (Lepidoptera) population dynamics in Kenya.Ecol. Appl. 11:1554–1562.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Nov. 20, 2006.
Teddy Matama-Kauma died suddenly in an accident on Dec. 10, 2006, while this paper was in press.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Matama-Kauma, T., Schulthess, F., Ogwang, J.A. et al. Distribution and relative importance of lepidopteran cereal stemborers and their parasitoids in Uganda. Phytoparasitica 35, 27–36 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02981059
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02981059