Field persistence of Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) following augmentative releases against the millet head miner, Heliocheilus albipunctella (de Joannis) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), in the Sahel

Kabore, A and Ba, M N and Dabire-Binso, C L and Sanon, A (2017) Field persistence of Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) following augmentative releases against the millet head miner, Heliocheilus albipunctella (de Joannis) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), in the Sahel. Biological Control, 108. pp. 64-69. ISSN 10499644

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Abstract

Biological control by augmentative releases of the parasitoid wasp Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a promising strategy for controlling the millet head miner (MHM), Heliocheilus albipunctella (de Joannis) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). A current biological control program in the Sahel region involves inoculative releases of the parasitoid each growing season, but this is prohibitively expensive. The present study aimed to quantify residual parasitism of MHM in years after augmentative release. We also investigated the impact of two successive annual releases of H. hebetor on MHM parasitism. Two successive releases did not increase parasitism, but slightly reduced MHM damage in terms of number of mines and their length. Parasitism levels decreased in subsequent years if no additional parasitoids were released. Nevertheless, in the first year after release, parasitism levels in release villages remained significantly higher than in control villages. These findings suggest that augmentative releases could be carried out biennially instead of annually. Possible means of enhancing parasitoid survival between seasons are discussed.

Item Type:	Article
Divisions:	Research Program : West & Central Africa
CRP:	UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Biological control; Burkina Faso; Pearl millet; On-farm releases; Corcyra cephalonica
Subjects:	Mandate crops > Millets > Pearl Millet Others > African Agriculture
Depositing User:	Mr Ramesh K
Date Deposited:	20 Apr 2017 09:00
Last Modified:	04 Sep 2017 06:37
URI:	http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/9972
Official URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2017.03.001
Projects:	UNSPECIFIED
Funders:	McKnight Foundation
Acknowledgement:	This work was supported by the Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP) of the McKnight Foundation, Minneapolis, MN [grant numbers 09-038; and 14-323 for 2009–2012 and 2014– 2018 respectively]. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the McKnight Foundation. The authors are also grateful to field technicians, Ouedraogo Theodore and Tarpidiga Simon for their assistance in data collection and to farmers who graciously allow collecting data in their millet fields.
Links:	Google Scholar

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