Potential of Oecophylla longinoda (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for management of Helopeltis spp. (Hemiptera: Miridae) and Pseudotheraptus wayi (Hemiptera: Coreidae) in cashew in Tanzania

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorOlotu, Moses I.
dc.date.accessioned2016-08-15T12:27:18Z
dc.date.available2016-08-15T12:27:18Z
dc.date.issued2013-09
dc.description.abstractCashew, Anacardium occidentale Linnaeus, is an economically important cash crop for more than 300,000 rural households in Tanzania. Its production is, however, severely constrained by infestation by sap-sucking insects such as Helopeltis anacardii Miller, H. Schoutedeni Reuter and Pseudotheraptus wayi Brown. The African weaver ant (AWA), Oecophylla longinoda Latreille, is an effective biocontrol agent of hemipteran pests in coconuts in Tanzania; but its efficacy for the control of sap-sucking insects, especially Helopeltis spp. and P. wayi, has not been investigated so far in cashew crops in Tanzania. Field trials were carried out at the Coast region of Tanzania to evaluate the effect of seasonality and abundance of AWA on Helopeltis spp. and P. wayi. Results showed that AWA abundance expressed, as number of leaf nests per tree, and colonization of trails on main branches varied significantly between cashew-seasons and off-seasons. There was a negative correlation between numbers of nests and pest damage. AWA-colonized cashew trees had the lowest shoot damaged by Helopeltis spp., 4.8 and 7.5% in 2010 and 2011, respectively, compared to 36 and 30% in 2010 and 2011, respectively, in uncolonized cashew trees. Similarly, nut damage by P.wayi was lowest in AWA-colonized trees with 2.4 and 6.2% in 2010 and 2011, respectively, as compared to 26 and 21% in 2010 and 2011, respectively, in uncolonized trees. Interaction between AWA and dominant ant species, namely bigheaded ant (BHA), Pheidole megacephala Fabricius, and common pugnacious ant (CPA), Anoplolepis custodiens Smith, was examined because of the implication that the dominant ant species may have on the efficacy of AWA in its control of sap-sucking pests of cashew. Abundance of AWA was significantly negatively correlated to BHA (r(39) = -0.30; P < 0.0001) and CPA (r(39) = -0.18; P = 0.01) at Bagamoyo in 2010. A similar trend was also observed at Mkuranga. The presence of these ant species may therefore hinder effectiveness of AWA to control sap-sucking pests in cashew in Tanzania. Therefore, suppression of these two inimical ant species should be emphasized for effective control of the sap-sucking pests in cashew fields. Iten_US
dc.identifier.citationOlotu, M.I., 2013. Potential of Oecophylla longinoda (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for management of Helopeltis spp.(Hemiptera: Miridae) and Pseudotheraptus wayi (Hemiptera: Coreidae) in cashew in Tanzania (Doctoral dissertation, North-West University).en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/3510
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.titlePotential of Oecophylla longinoda (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) for management of Helopeltis spp. (Hemiptera: Miridae) and Pseudotheraptus wayi (Hemiptera: Coreidae) in cashew in Tanzaniaen_US
dc.typeTechnical Reporten_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Potential of Oecophylla longinoda (Hymenoptera Formicidae).pdf
Size:
28.88 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Full text
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Department of Chemistry and Life Sciences