OAR@ICRISATInsect pests of pearl millet in Sahelian West Africa—II. Raghuva albipunctella De Joannis (Noctuidae, Lepidoptera): Distribution, population dynamics and assessment of crop damage K FNwanzeauthorM V KSivakumarauthorPest surveys in farmers’ fields were conducted for Raghuva albipunctella infestations on pearl millet in Burkina Faso, Niger and northern Nigeria in 1980–1983. Field studies on the seasonal fluctuations of moths and diapausing pupae, assessment of crop damage and grain yield loss were conducted in Niger. The results indicated that R. albipunctella occurred between latitudes 11° N and 15 ° N, within the Southern Sahel and Sudan bioclimatic zones. R. albipunctella is a univoltine species, and off‐season carryover is through diapausing pupae in the soil. The majority of diapausing pupae (51%) were found at 10–20 cm of soil depth. The onset and continuity of rains, favourable soil moisture and temperature conditions were key factors in diapause termination, duration of post‐diapause development and adult emergence. Crop damage and grain yield loss were a function of sowing date, time of panicle exsertion and the occurrence of critical numbers of adult moths. Percentage crop lost varied from 1% to 41% with a mean of 20%.Millets1990Taylor & FrancisArticle

For work being deposited by its own author: In self-archiving this collection of files and associated bibliographic metadata, I grant OAR@ICRISAT the right to store them and to make them permanently available publicly for free on-line. I declare that this material is my own intellectual property and I understand that OAR@ICRISAT does not assume any responsibility if there is any breach of copyright in distributing these files or metadata. (All authors are urged to prominently assert their copyright on the title page of their work.)

For work being deposited by someone other than its author: I hereby declare that the collection of files and associated bibliographic metadata that I am archiving at OAR@ICRISAT) is in the public domain. If this is not the case, I accept full responsibility for any breach of copyright that distributing these files or metadata may entail.

Clicking on the deposit button indicates your agreement to these terms.