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BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES of Tuta Absoluta to a WILD and CULTIVATED

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BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES of Tuta Absoluta to a WILD and CULTIVATED BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES OF Tuta absoluta TO A WILD AND CULTIVATED TOMATO PLANTS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MEDIATING SEMIOCHEMICAL BLENDS RAPHAEL NJURAI MIANO (B. Ed Sc.) I56/28944/2013 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Science in Chemistry in the School of Pure and Applied Sciences of Kenyatta University NOVEMBER 2017 ii DECLARATION Declaration by Candidate This thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other University or any other award. Raphael Njurai Miano (I56/28944/2013) Department of Chemistry Signature ………………………………… Date ………………………………… Declaration by Supervisors We confirm that the work reported in this thesis was carried out and submitted by the candidate with our approval as University supervisors. Dr. Richard Musau Department of Chemistry Signature ………………………………… Date ………………………………………. Dr. Faris Samira Mohammed International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) Signature ………………………………… Date ……………………………………...... Prof. Ahmed Hassanali Department of Chemistry Signature ……………………………………... Date …………………………………… iii DEDICATION I dedicate this work to my late father, Mzee Miano Njogu, who inspired me throughout my entire school life, my mother, Eunice Njoki Miano, my siblings, my wife Mary Wanjiku and my children Gift, Joy, Vincent and Cleopas for their patience, love, prayers and moral support that they accorded me throughout my study time. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS My sincere thanks to the almighty God for this far He has brought me. My special thanks to my supervisors; Dr. Richard Musau, Dr. Samira Mohammed and Prof. Ahmed Hassanali for their intellectual and technical guidance and support that has molded me for this achievement. My thanks to Dr. Sunday Ekesi, Plant Health Theme, International Center for Insect Physiology and ecology, ICIPE, for allowing me do my research in his abled department. My thanks to Prof. Baldwyn Torto, Behavioral & Chemical Ecology Department, ICIPE, for allowing me perform gas chromatography – linked mass spectroscopy, GC–MS, and gas chromatography – linked electroantennographic detector, GC–EAD, in the behavioral and chemical ecology laboratories. My gratitude goes to Dr. Wilber Lwande, Environment Health Division, ICIPE, for allocating me working and storage space in the laboratory. Also extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Daisy Salifu, Biostatistics Unit, ICIPE, for her contribution in statistical analysis. My thanks to Mr. Wanyama Onesmus Kaye, Senior Research Assistant, ICIPE, Kenya for his guidance in performing GC–MS and GC–EAD, Mr. Gershons Ongeche, Mechanical Technician, ICIPE Kenya, for his special guidance during the construction of the duo–choice olfactometer. My warm and totally inadequate thanks to the Director General, ICIPE Kenya for hosting me in the center during research. Special thanks to Tuta IPM, and the Federal Ministry for economic Cooperation and Development for funding this project. I would also like to highly appreciate the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) for research funds reference number, NACOSTI/RCD/ST& I7th CALL/ M.Sc/037 that enabled completion of this work. Finally my thanks to my family and any other member of the community who have given me support, encouragement, love and prayer. v TABLE OF CFONTENTS DECLARATION .............................................................................................................................................. ii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................................................... ix ABBREVIATIONS AND ACCRONYMS ................................................................................................ xi ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................................... xiii CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Background information ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.9 Problem statement and justification of the study ................................................................................ 5 1.10 Hypotheses ................................................................................................................................................ 6 1.11 Objectives .................................................................................................................................................. 6 1.11.1 General objective .................................................................................................................................. 6 1.11.2 Specific objectives ............................................................................................................................... 7 1.12 Significance of the study ........................................................................................................................ 7 1.13 Scope and limitations of the study ....................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................................................. 8 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................................... 8 2.1 Tuta absoluta morphology ....................................................................................................................... 8 2.2 Life cycle of T. absoluta ........................................................................................................................... 9 2.3 Migration and distribution of T. absoluta in Africa.......................................................................... 12 2.4 Control methods of T. absoluta ............................................................................................................ 15 2.4.1 Cultural methods ................................................................................................................................... 15 vi 2.4.2 Biological methods............................................................................................................................... 15 2.4.3 Chemical methods ................................................................................................................................ 16 2.4.4 Semiochemicals .................................................................................................................................... 17 2.4.5 Sterile males .......................................................................................................................................... 20 2.4.6 Light Traps ............................................................................................................................................. 20 2.4.7 Host – Plant Resistance ....................................................................................................................... 20 2.4.8 Integrated Pest Management Strategy, IPM ................................................................................... 21 2.5 Economic importance of T. absoluta ................................................................................................... 21 2.6 Environmental impact ............................................................................................................................. 22 2.7 Chemical communication ....................................................................................................................... 23 2.8 Wild tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum var. cerasiforme) and cultivated tomato, (Solanum lycoperscon L., Rambo F1) .................................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER THREE ........................................................................................................................................ 32 MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................................................................................................ 32 3.1 Wild tomatoes and cultivated tomatoes plants .................................................................................. 32 3.2 Source of T. absoluta colony ................................................................................................................. 33 3.3 Field layout for mono-crop and inter-crop of the two tomato varieties ....................................... 34 3.4 Dual – choice wind tunnel (olfactometer) for behavioral responses of mated T. absoluta female to wild tomato and cultivated tomato ..................................................................................... 35 3.5 Experimental procedure for the T. absoluta behavioral
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