Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T00:21:27.011Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Biology of and rearing technique for Sturmiopsis parasitica (Curr.) (Diptera, Tachinidae), a parasite of graminaceous borers in Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Sudha Nagarkatti  and
V. P. Rao
Sudha Nagarkatti
Affiliation:
Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control (Indian Station), Bellary Road, P.O. Box 603, Bangalore 560006, India
V. P. Rao
Affiliation:
Commonwealth Institute of Biological Control (West African Sub-station), c/o Crops Research Institute, P.O. Box 3785, Kumasi, Ghana
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Sturmiopsis parasitica (Curr.), an important larval pupal parasite of graminaceous borers in Africa south of the Sahara, was collected from Sesamia spp. and Eldana saccharina Wlk. in Ghana. Puparia were shipped to the CIBC station at Bangalore, where a rearing technique, using field-collected borers as hosts, was devised. At 26°C the larval period was 12–14 days, prepupal period 12 h, and the pupal period 12–19 days. In its 3–4 week life span a male could successfully inseminate 4–5 females, which each produced 500–900 maggots after a gestation period of 18–19 days. In the laboratory Sturmiopsis parasitica successfully parasitised Chilo auricilius Dudgn., C. partellus (Swinh.), C. infuscatellus Sn., C. sacchariphagus indicus (Kapur) and Sesamia inferens (Wlk.); it did not parasitise Tryporyza nivella (F.) or Corcyra cephalonica (Stnt.) and was only once recovered from Galleria mellonella (L.). Its potential as a biocontrol agent against graminaceous borers in the tropics is considered high.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 65 , Issue 1 , March 1975 , pp. 165 - 170
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1975

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anon. (1970). The major pests of maize.—Rhodesia agric. J. Tech. Bull. no. 10, 23–29.Google Scholar
Harris, K. M. (1962). Lepidopterous stem borers of cereals in Nigeria.—Bull. ent. Res. 53, 139–171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jerath, M. L. (1968). Parasites of sugarcane stem borers in Nigeria.—J. econ. Ent. 61, 435–436.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
La Croix, E. A. S. (1967). Maize stalk borers in the Coast Province of Kenya.—E. Afr. agric. For. J. 33, 49–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mohanraj, G. & Saxena, A. P. (1964). On the introduction into India of some Tachinid parasites of sugarcane moth-borers.—Tech. Bull. Commonw. Inst. biol. Control no. 4, 43–61.Google Scholar
Mohyuddin, A. I. & Greathead, D. J. (1970). An annotated list of the parasites of graminaceous stem borers in East Africa, with a discussion of their potential in biological control.—Entomophaga 15, 241–274.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nye, I. W. B. (1960). The insect pests of graminaceous crops in East Africa.—Colon. Res. Stud. no. 31, 48 pp.Google Scholar
Scaramuzza, L. C. (1930). Preliminary report on a study of the biology of Lixophaga diatraeae Tns.—J. econ. Ent. 23, 999–1004.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smithers, C. N. (1960). Some recent observations on Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lep. Noctuidae) in Southern Rhodesia.—Bull. ent. Res. 50, 809–819.CrossRefGoogle Scholar