Studies of pigeonpea insect pests and their management in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda

Systematic surveys were conducted in farmers= fields in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda to determine the incidence, distribution and damage levels due to insect pests of pigeonpea seeds. Three surveys were conducted in eastern Kenya, one in 1992 and two in 1995. Two surveys, one per country per year - were conducted in Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda in 1995 and 1996. Key insect pests were pod sucking bugs (dominated by Clavigralla tomentosicollis Stal), pod and seed boring Lepidoptera (Helicoverpa armigera Hübner, Maruca vitrata (= testulalis) Geyer, Etiella zinkenella Treitschke), and pod fly (Melanagromyza chalcosoma Spencer). Seed damage due to insect pests were 22, 15, 14, and 16% in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda, respectively. Damage levels indicated that pod sucking bugs were more damaging in Malawi (caused 69% of total seed damage) and Kenya (43%), while pod borers caused more damage in Tanzania (50%) and Uganda (54%). Pod fly caused more damage in Kenya than in the other countries. Pod borer damage was high in early maturing crops and pod fly in late maturing crops, while pod sucking bugs damage was high regardless of crop maturity period. Greater variations in seed damage were observed between locations in Kenya, Malawi, and Tanzania than in Uganda. Warm and dry locations had less seed damage than warm and humid, cool and dry, or cool and humid locations in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania. None of the farmers visited in Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda used conventional pesticides on pigeonpea in the field. Over 80% of these farmers used traditional methods in storage pest management. In contrast, 35 and 53% of farmers in Kenya had used conventional pesticides on long-duration pigeonpea genotypes in their fields

RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD AND STARLING FEEDING RESPONSES ON CORN EARWORM-INFESTED CORN

We examined the feeding behavior of red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) and European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) on ears of corn (Zea mavs) artificially infested with corn earworms (Helicoverpa zea). In 30-minute aviary tests, redwings and starlings directed 39 to 79% more feeding responses to ears of corn with worms than to ears without worms but they damaged the same proportion of ears with and without worms. In 3-hour aviary tests and a field evaluation, birds damaged more ears with worms than without worms. In spite of more feeding responses directed to ears with worms, the overall damage (number of kernels eaten by birds) was similar in both groups of ears in aviary tests. Our findings indicate that earworms can influence feeding behavior by redwings and starlings on ears of corn. The results generally support the hypothesis that by reducing insect populations in cornfields, one can make the fields less attractive to birds. Also, because redwings and starlings actively sought earworms in corn ears, these abundant birds have the potential for reducing populations of these insect pests in cornfields

Pigeon pea seed production and delivery system: Experience from the Lango farming system

No Abstract

Design and implementation of a communication strategy for agricultural research in Uganda-Experiences and Lessons Learnt

No Abstract

Enhancing innovation processes through local competitive agricultural technology funds in Uganda-experiences and lessons.

No Abstract

Pigeonpea Seed Damage from Insect Pests on Farmers' Fields in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda

In on-farm field studies in in 1995 in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda, Helicoverpa armigera, Maruca testulalis [M. vitrata], Clavigralla sp. and Melanagromyza chalcosoma were identified as the major pests of pigeon peas. M. vitrata was not found in Malawi

Studies Of Pigeonpea Insect Pests And Their Management In Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania And Uganda

Systematic surveys were conducted in farmers' fields in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda to determine the incidence, distribution and damage levels due to insect pests of pigeonpea seeds. Three surveys were conducted in eastern Kenya, one in 1992 and two in 1995. Two surveys, one per country per year - were conducted in Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda in 1995 and 1996. Key insect pests were pod sucking bugs (dominated by Clavigralla tomentosicollis St\ue5l), pod and seed boring Lepidoptera (Helicoverpa armigera H\ufcbner, Maruca vitrata (= testulalis) Geyer, Etiella zinkenella Treitschke), and pod fly (Melanagromyza chalcosoma Spencer). Seed damage due to insect pests were 22, 15, 14, and 16% in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda, respectively. Damage levels indicated that pod sucking bugs were more damaging in Malawi (caused 69% of total seed damage) and Kenya (43%), while pod borers caused more damage in Tanzania (50%) and Uganda (54%). Pod fly caused more damage in Kenya than in the other countries. Pod borer damage was high in early maturing crops and pod fly in late maturing crops, while pod sucking bugs damage was high regardless of crop maturity period. Greater variations in seed damage were observed between locations in Kenya, Malawi, and Tanzania than in Uganda. Warm and dry locations had less seed damage than warm and humid, cool and dry, or cool and humid locations in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania. None of the farmers visited in Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda used conventional pesticides on pigeonpea in the field. Over 80% of these farmers used traditional methods in storage pest management. In contrast, 35 and 53% of farmers in Kenya had used conventional pesticides on long-duration pigeonpea genotypes in their fields.On a conduit une s\ue9rie d'enqu\ueates en champs paysans au Kenya, au Malawi, en Tanzanie, et en Ouganda afin de d\ue9terminer l'incidence et la r\ue9partition des ravageurs de pois d'Angole ainsi que les taux de d\ue9g\ue2ts aux grains dus \ue0 ces ravageurs. Trois enqu\ueates ont \ue9t\ue9 men\ue9es dans l'est du Kenya, une en 1992 et deux en 1995. Chacun des trois pays - Malawi, Tanzanie et Ouganda - ont fait l'objet d'enqu\ueates une fois en 1995 et une autre fois en 1996. Les ravageurs importants ont compris des punaises suceuses de gousse (surtout Clavigralla tomentosicollis Stal), des foreurs des gousses et des grains (Helicoverpa armigera Hubner, Maruca vitrata (=testulalis) Geyer, Etiella zinkenella Treitschke), ainsi que des mouches des gousses (Melanagromyza chalcosoma Spencer). En milieu r\ue9el, les d\ue9g\ue2ts aux grains dus aux ravageurs ont \ue9t\ue9 22% au Kenya, 15% au Malawi, 14% en Tanzanie, et 16% en Ouganda. Les taux de d\ue9g\ue2ts ont indiqu\ue9 que les punaises suceuses de gousse ont \ue9t\ue9 les plus graves au Malawi (69% des d\ue9g\ue2ts totaux aux grains) et au Kenya (43%), tandis que les foreurs des gousses ont occasion\ue9 plus d'atteintes en Tanzanie (50%) et en Ouganda (54%). Les mouches des gousses ont caus\ue9 plus de d\ue9g\ue2ts au Kenya que dans d ' autres pays. Les foreurs des gousses ont provoqu\ue9 des d\ue9g\ue2ts importants chez les cultures pr\ue9coces et les mouches des gousses chez les cultures tardives. Les punaises suceuses de gousse ont caus\ue9 des atteintes graves sur tous les cycles de maturation. Il y a eu plus de variations dans les taux de d\ue9g\ue2ts parmi les localit\ue9s au Kenya, au Malawi et en Tanzanie qu'en Ouganda. Les localit\ue9s chaudes et s\ue8ches ont eu moins de d\ue9g\ue2ts que les localit\ue9s chaudes et humides, fra\ueeches et s\ue8ches, ou fra\ueeches et humides au Kenya, au Malawi et en Tanzanie. Les paysans qu'on a rencontr\ue9s au cours des enqu\ueates au Malawi, en Tanzanie et en Ouganda n'ont pas appliqu\ue9 de pesticides conventionnels sur le pois d'Angole aux champs. Plus de 80% de ces paysans emploient des m\ue9thodes de lutte traditionnelles contre les insectes des denr\ue9es. Par contre, 35% des paysans rencontr\ue9s au Kenya en juillet 1995 et 53% en ao\ufbt 1995 ont appliqu\ue9 des pesticides conventionnels sur les g\ue9notypes de pois d'Angole tardifs dans leurs champs

Studies of pigeonpea insect pests and their management in farmers' fields in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda

(African Crop Science Journal 1999 7(1): 59-70