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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