Study on some bioecological aspects of Eldana saccharina Walker (Lep., Pyralidae) on Zea mays L. and alternative host plants

Abstract

In an attempt to set up habitat management strategy against Eldana saccharina Walker, an economically important graminaceous stem and cob borer, two laboratory experiments were carried out. The first experiment was designed to assess oviposition preference of E. saccharina for growth stages, plant parts and freshness of different host plants and between host plants species. Zea mays L., Sorghum arundinaceum (Desv.) Stapf, Andropogon gayanus Kunth, Panicum maximum Jacq., Pennisetum polystachion (Linn.) and Cyperus papyrus L. were assessed. Results showed that E. saccharina preferred wild grasses to maize for oviposition. More than 94% eggs were laid on wild grasses. Of all tested grasses, P. polystachion was the most attractive with more than 30% of collected eggs. For all plant species, posttasseling stage was more attractive than the tasseling and pre-tasseling ones. More than 90% of total eggs were laid on dry leaves and sheaths and less than 10% on fresh leaves. Different characteristics relating to population dynamics of E. saccharina were assessed in the second experiment. Larval survival rate was 10% on Z. mays, 0.50% on S. arundinaceum and around 0% on the other wild grasses. Larval development length was longer on S. arundinaceum than on Z. mays. Females reared on Z. mays were three times more fecund than those reared on S. arundinaceum. Complete life table of females from larvae reared on Z. mays was studied.

Bt‐maize as a potential trap crop for management of Eldana saccharina Walker (Lep., Pyralidae) in sugarcane

“…These results for what is now known to be a southern African biotype of E. saccharina (Assefa et al. 2006) are in agreement with the findings of Atachi et al. (2005), who showed in the West African biotype that post‐tasseling stage non‐ Bt plants were more attractive than plants in the pre‐tasseling or tasseling stages of development.…”

“…The results of several studies have now shown that E. saccharina oviposits preferentially on dry leaf material, not only in sugarcane (Atkinson 1980; Leslie 1990; Mabulu and Keeping 1999) and maize (this study; Atachi et al. 2005), but also in sedges Cyperus dives C.B.Cl., C. latifolius Poir (Atkinson 1980) C. papyrus L. (Atachi et al. 2005) and grasses Sorghum arundinaceum (Desv.)…”

“…condition (ii) above. Furthermore, as E. saccharina from Benin, where Atachi et al.’s (2005) study was conducted, has recently been shown to constitute a biotype of this species distinct from populations in eastern and southern Africa (Assefa et al. 2006), it was also necessary to establish whether the southern African biotype used in the present study displayed a similar ovipositional preference for mature maize plants.…”

Oviposition and larval development of a stem borer, Eoreuma loftini, on rice and non‐crop grass hosts

“…In the same study, oviposition preference and immature performance were greater on johnsongrass than on vaseygrass. Eldana saccharina shows oviposition preference for wild graminoid hosts as compared to corn (Atachi et al., ; Conlong et al., ). However, performance is inversely associated with preference on these hosts, with longer immature development, lower survival, and lower pupal weight observed on wild grasses than on corn (Shanower et al., ; Atachi et al., ).…”

Record of Eldana saccharina Walker (Lep, Pyralidae) in inland South Africa and its genetic relationship with the coastal population

“…1985; Mazodze and Conlong 2002) and the different populations of E. saccharina feeding on different species of host plants in various parts of Africa (Conlong 2001; Matama‐Kauma et al. 2002; Atachi et al. 2005).…”