Studies of the Maize Stalk Borer Busseola fusca Fuller (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) with Special Reference to its Biology, Ecology and Yield Loss in Maize

Abstract

The maize stalk borer Busseola fusca Fuller is a serious pest of maize in the highland areas of Kenya. In an effort to generate information that could be useful for integrated management of the pest, the main factors studied in the current investigations were its biology and ecology. Other studies involved its population patterns in relation to planting dates, crop losses caused by the pest and evaluation of crop loss assessment techniques used in estimation of losses due to ~. fusca. It was revealed by these studies, that development was completed with intervening larval diapause. About 30.4% of the larvae from the same egg batch underwent diapause, while the rest (69.6%) underwent normal development without experiencing an intervening diapause. Duration of non-diapause larval period was 40.9 ± 0.5 days, while in diapause larvae the duration was 238.5 ± 13.l days. There were no significant (P > 0.05) differences in the durations of pre-oviposition, oviposition, post-oviposition, longevity and fecundity rate between moths originating from diapause and non-diapause generations. Maize stalk residues with an infestation of 1.5 insects I m2 were identified as being a major venue of the carry-over population of B. fusca as compared to other hosts. Columbus grass Sorghum almum had 1.4 insects, Sudan grass.S. sudanensis (Continue from the attached PDF)