Trichogramma chilonis (Hymenoptera : trichogrammatidae) as a biological control agent of Chilo sacchariphagus (Lepidoptera, Crambidae) in Reunion Island : initial field trials
2003
Soula B., | Goebel F.R., | Caplong P., | Karimjee H., | Tibere R., | Tabone, Elisabeth
The spotted stalk borer, Chilo sacchariphagus Bojer, is a major pest of sugarcane in southern Asia,the Indian Ocean islands and Mozambique in southern Africa. Since 1999, a biological controlprogramme has been developed on this pest in Reunion Island through a partnership betweenresearch and development organisations. Trichogramma chilonis Ishii has been shown to be themost naturally efficient parasitoid of the borer in Reunion, following a comparison of the bionomicsof different strains of T. chilonis, and one strain was selected for mass production and field releasetesting. In 2002, two distinct sites, Savannah (SAV) and Sainte-Marie (SMA), were chosen for fieldexperiments. At each site, plots were treated with releases of 150 000 T. chilonis per hectare andcompared with untreated plots. In both plots, efficacy of these releases was assessed throughdamage to sugarcane internodes and mass of millable stalks at harvest. In treated plots, thepercentage of bored internodes at harvest was 45% less than the controls at SAV and 36% at SMA.The mean stalk mass was 14% higher in treated plots at SAV, and 12% at SMA, corresponding toincreases of 15 and 12 tons of cane per hectare, respectively. These results are presented andimprovements in a new trial are suggested.
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