Biological control of Callosobruchus maculatus F. (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) using Dinarmus basalis Rond. (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae)
1994
Thomas-Odjo, A.A. | Gaspar, C. (Faculte Universitaire des Sciences Agronomiques, Gembloux (Belgium). Unite de Zoologie Generale et Appliquee)
Callosobruchus maculatus is the most important pest of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) stored in West African countries. Infestation of cowpea begin in the field on yellowing pods. It is generally low and range from 2 to 5 percent. At the time of harvest, cowpea seeds are infested only by pre-imaginal stage of C. maculatus, which emerge later in granaries. The high fecundity of females contributes to increase the larval population in cowpea seeds. This lead to important damage which can affect 100 percent of the seeds between six to seven months. The cowpea bruchid is known to be parasitized by Dinarmus basalis which larvae feed on pre-imaginal state of the host. Adding nine imago (six females and three males) of this parasitoid, in cowpea containing only 5 percent of seeds infested with C. maculatus larveae and pupae, permitted under our experimental conditions (30 degree C, 70-80 percent of relative humidity), to significantly reduce the population of the pest. After two months, the number of adults emerged from the treated seeds were reduced to 93 percent to regard to the check. According to the results, we think that the utilization of the parasitoid D. basalis offers interesting prospects in integrated pest management of the insect pests of cowpea stored in traditional granaries
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