Browsing by Author "Seguni, Zuberi S."

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    Effect of fungicides used for powdery mildew disease management on the African weaver ant, Oecophylla longinoda (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), a biocontrol agent of sap-sucking pests in cashew crops in Tanzania
    (2013-10) Olotu, Moses I.; Maniania, Nguya K.; Ekesi, Sunday; Seguni, Zuberi S.; Plessis, Hannalene D.
    The efficacy of pollination biology of Mesogyne insignis ispoorly known in fragmented forests of Amani NatureReserve. This study was conducted to determine the effectof forest fragmentation on potential pollinators of thisendangered species. Three intact forests and three forestfragments were selected for this study, the intact forestsserving as control. Visual observation of insects visitinginflorescences, insect trapping and pollinator exclusionexperiments were the methods employed in assessing pol-lination. Most members of the solitary bee genus Megachilewere found to be potential pollinators of M. insignis.Diversity of pollinators was significantly higher in intactforests than in forest fragments. Overall, the total numberof fruits set was significantly higher in intact forests thanin forest fragments, perhaps a reflection of the higherdiversity and abundance of potential pollinators in an in-tact forest. The pollination system of M. insignis is gen-eralist in terms of systematic group of pollinators, andforest fragmentation may have significant impact on thispollination pattern. A similar study should be conducted inother Eastern Arc Mountains where M. insignis grows tofind out whether the potential pollinators are similar or not
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    Efficacy of the African weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in the control of Helopeltis spp. (Hemiptera: Miridae) and Pseudotheraptus wayi (Hemiptera: Coreidae) in cashew crop in Tanzania
    (2012-12) Olotu, Moses I.; Plessis, Hannalene D.; Seguni, Zuberi S.; Maniania, Nguya K.
    Cashew, Anacardium occidentale, is an economically important cash crop for more than 300 000 rural householdsin Tanzania. Its production is, however, severely constrained by infestation by sap-sucking insects such as Helopeltis anacardii,H. schoutedeni and Pseudotheraptus wayi. The African weaver ant, Oecophylla longinoda, is an effective biocontrol agent ofhemipteran pests in coconuts in Tanzania, but its efficacy in the control of Helopeltis spp. and P. wayi in Tanzanian cashew hasnot been investigated so far. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the efficacy of O. longinoda in the management ofthese insect pests in the cashew crop at different sites of the Coast region of Tanzania