Progress on classical biological control of Chilo Partellus in east and southern Africa
1999
Overholt, W.A. (International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, Nairobi (Kenya))
In 1991, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) initiated a project on classical biological control of the exotic cereal stemborer, Chilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Cotesia flavipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was collected in Pakistan and imported into Kenya in 1991. Host range studies demonstrated that C.flavipes would attack not only its old association host, C. partellus, but also two native African stemborers, Chilo orichalcociliellus and Sesamia calamistis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). C. flavipes was released in the coastal area of Kenya in 1993, and sampling during the season of release revealed that the parasitoid had colonized maize and sorghum fields. Surveys in subsequent years confirmed that C. flavipes had established. In 1997, parasitism 30% was found at some sites, and extensive surveys revealed that C. flavipes had spread several hundred kilometers from the 1993 releases areas. Collaborative biological control activities are now being initiated in Mozambique, Uganda, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Zanzibar, Zambia and Malawi.
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