Insect Fauna Associated With Anacardium occidentale (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae) in Benin, West Africa

Abstract

Cashew, Anacardium occidentale L. (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae), is an important cash crop in Benin. However, its production is threatened by several biotic factors, especially insects. In Benin, very few studies have focused on insects and just listed species commonly found on cashew worldwide. The present investigation fills this gap by presenting an exhaustive inventory of insect species associated with this crop in the country. The survey was carried out from September 2009 to August 2010 in 22 cashew orchards (5 young and 17 mature) distributed over three major agroecological zones where cashew is most produced in the country. Insects were collected using chemical knock-down technique and visual observation followed by capture with sweep net. In addition, infested plant organs were sampled and incubated to collect emerging insects. In total, 262 insect species were recorded and identified. Among them, the wood borer Apate terebrans Pallas, the leafminer Eteoryctis gemoniella Stainton, and the mirid bugs Helopeltis schoutedeni Reuter., and Helopeltis anacardii Miller., appeared as the most important insect species attacking cashew in Benin. Beneficial insects encountered included some predators, parasitoids, and pollinators. Few vertebrate predators were also recorded on the trees. Differences in agroecological conditions or in field cleanliness did not affect the number of insect species encountered in the cashew orchards. The results of this study represent an important baseline data for the design and implementation of strategies for cashew protection in Benin.

Exploring levels of egg parasitism and variation in egg cuticular chemistry in different Clavigralla spp.

“…Our results support those by Dreyer and Baumgärtner () which reported C. tomentosicollis and C. shadabi on cowpea in Bénin. In this study, C. tomentosicollis and C. shadabi were recorded throughout Bénin, confirming reports of its distribution across different agro‐ecological zones (Dreyer et al, ; Agboton et al, ). Moreover, C. shadabi which was reported by Gethi and Khaemba () in Mombasa, Kenya, was not recorded during this study, possibly due to geographical and seasonal differences, as well as the limited sampling that was done in Kenya.…”

“…These species occur widely in Nigeria, Burkina‐Faso, Niger, Bénin, Tanzania and Kenya where they are the major pests of cowpea and French bean (Minja et al, ; Agunbiade et al, ; Chalam et al, ). Clavigralla tomentosicollis and C. shadabi were previously recorded in some regions of Bénin (Dreyer, Baumgärtner, & Tamó, ; Shanower, Romeis, & Minja, ; Egho, ; Agboton et al, ). Gethi and Khaemba () reported a high prevalence of C. tomentosicollis and C. shadabi on cowpea in maize intercropping systems in Mombasa, Kenya.…”

Diversity of xylophagous beetles and vulnerability of debarked‐medicinal plants in southern of Benin

“…Most research have been done on the diversity of xylophagous in Europe (Fabre, Mouna, Merle, & Benhalima, 1999;Lieutier, 1988;Lieutier, Day, Battisti, Grégoire, & Evans, 2004;Lieutier et al, 1997;Markovic & Stojanovic, 2011); in Africa (Bellahirech, Sousa, Naves, & Ben Jamâa, 2012;Bosu, Adu-Bredu, Nuto, & Kokou, 2013;Wagner et al, 2008). But in Benin, rare studies on xylophagous insects in natural and human-made habitats concerned the works of Lachat (2004), Attingnon, Lachat, Sinsin, Nagel, and Peveling (2005), Tchibozo and Braet (2004) and Agboton et al (2014). Tchibozo and Braet (2004) had taken out the preliminary survey on forest pests in Lama Forest Reserve and noted that the beetle Analeptes trifasciata is the most damaging longicorn pest in the forest.…”

Ecology and life history of Paratomapoderus brachypterus in Gabon (Coleoptera: Attelabidae)

“…Concerning African Apoderinae nearly nothing is known about their ecology and ethology and the only information available are restrict to the agronomic implication of some species, with emphasis on the host plants: Parapo de rus fuscicornis (Fabricius, 1792) is reported as feeding on Anacardium occidentale in Benin (Agboton et al 2014), Ter minalia ivoriensis in Ghana (Voss 1973) and on rice in Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone (Heinrichs & Barrion 2004) (Foahom 2002), or Theo bro ma cacao in Ghana (Cotterell 1927) and Ivory Coast (Alibert 1951); again in Ivory Coast Parapoder us cli vi col lis (Marshall, 1948) is reported as feeding on T. cacao (Alibert 1951). Tomapoderus (Pseudapoderus) ghesquie rei Voss, 1939, from Democratic Republic of the Congo, feeds on Crudia (Fabaceae) (Voss 1939); Para po de rus pseudoto le rans Voss, 1926 is given on Combretum sp.…”