Studies on Population Dynamics of the Yellow Headed Borer Dirphya Nigricornis Olivier (Coleoptera:Cerambycidae), a Pest of Coffe
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STUDIES ON POPULATION DYNAMICS OF THE YELLOW HEADED BORER DIRPHYA NIGRICORNIS OLIVIER (COLEOPTERA:CERAMBYCIDAE), A PEST OF COFFEE IN KENYA.^ By F.M.E. j WANJALA _ V> ' \A%% gpH** PHb * tcov^' ^V) .,*■<* L‘“ w ***** A THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY OF Tar, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI, 1988. UHlVERSirt. Or ‘AIROB* DECLARATION BY CANDIDATE This thesis Is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other University. Sign . g g r . .............. 0lte 88 FREDRICK M.E. WANJALA DECLARATION BY SUPERVISOR This thesis has been submitted for examination with my approval as University supervisor. -4 •£- f P Sign D a t e --------------- DR. BATTAN M. KHAEMBA (B.Sc., Makerere; M.Sc., Ph.D., Nairobi) University of Nairobi, Kenya . Ill TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE --------------------------------------------- DECLARATION--------------------------------------- ii TABLE OF CONTENTS--------------------------------- iii LIST OF T A B L E S ------------------------------------ viii LIST OF F I G U R E S---------------------------------- xv LIST OF PLATES ------------------------------------ xvii LIST OF APPENDICES------------------------------- xviii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ---------------------------------- xx ABSTRACT ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- XX ii JL V TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER Page 1 INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW ------ 1 1 .1 INTRODUCTION------------------------------ 1 1.1.1 Economic value of the coffee crop to K e n y a --------------------------------- 1 1.1.2 Dirphya nigricornis as a constraint to coffee production in Kenya -------------- 2 1.2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE --------------------- 3 1.2.1 Identification of D. nigricornis--------- 3 1.2.2 Ecology and distribution of D. nigricornis ----------------------------- 4 1.2.3 Bioloaical studies on D. nigricornis in Kenyan coffee ecosystems ---------------- 5 1.2.4 Previous studies on population dynamics and damage of D. nigricornis ----------- 1.2.5 General objectives of the study --------- 2 *6 * 2 SOME ASPECTS OF MATING AND OVIPOSITION OF THE YELLOW HEADED BORER DIRPHYA NIGRICORNIS INFLUENCING ITS POPULATION DYNAMICS ---------------------- 9 2.1 INTRODUCTION ----------------------------- 9 2.2 MATERIALS AND M E T H O D S ------------------- 1° 2.2.1 Procedures used in capturing, caging and rearing stock D. nigricornis for study 10 V CHAPTER Page 2.2.2 Mating aspects and birth rates of D. nigricornis--------------------- 15 2.2.3 Oviposition behaviour and its relation to egg niche location and diel rhythms in the yellow headed borer, Dirphya nigricornis-------------------------- 16 2.2.4 Effects of coffee canopy factors and seasons on distribution of egg niches ------------------------------- 19 2.3 RESULTS ------------------------------ 23 2.3.1 Mating aspects and birth rates of D . nigricornis----------------------- 23 2.3.2 Oviposition behaviour and its relation to egg niche location and diel rhythms in the yellow headed borer, Dirphya nigricornis-------------------------- 32 2.3.3 Effects of coffee canopy factors and seasons on distribution of egg n i c h e s ----------------------- '-------- 48 2.4 DISCUSSION---------------------------- 57 3 EFFECTS OF BROODING ON FLUCTUATIONS OF FIELD POPULATIONS OF DIRPHYA NIGRICORNIS-------------------------- 65 3.1 INTRODUCTION------------------------- 65 3.2 MATERIALS AND METHODS --------------- 6 5 3.2.1 The sites and samples used in the studies ------------------------------ 65 VI CHAPTER Page 3.2.2 Effects of bro o d i n g---------------- 66 3.3 RESULTS ---------------------------- 6 8 3.3.1 Effects of brooding --------------- 68 3.4 DISCUSSION------------------------- 80 4 LIFE TABLES AND MORTALITY FACTORS FOR DIRPHYA NIGRICORNIS IN COFFEE FIELDS IN K E N Y A ------------------- 82 4.1 INTRODUCTION---------------------- 82 4.2 MATERIALS AND M E T H O D S ------------ 8 3 4.2.1 The identification and quantification of natural mortality factors operating on the eggs, larvae, pupae and adults of D. nigricornis in coffee f i e l d s ---------------------------- 83 4.3 RESULTS --------------------------- 92 4.3.1 The identification and quantification of natural mortality factors operating on the eggs, larvae, pupae and adults of D. nigricornis in coffee f i e l d s ---------------------------- 92 4.4 DISCUSSION------------------------ 101 5 THE BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR OF IPHIAULAX VARIPALPIS CARY (HYMENOPTERA : BRACONIDAE) AS A PARASITE OF DIRPHYA NIGRICORNIS --- 106 5.1 INTRODUCTION----------------------- 106 5.2 MATERIALS AND METHODS ------------- 107 vii CHAPTER Page 5.2.1 Determination of the biology, parasitic behaviour and efficacy of 1^ varipalpis as a parasite of D. nigricornis larvae --------------- 107 5.3 RESULTS ------------------------------- H O 5.3.1 Determination of the biology, parasitic behaviour and efficacy of I. varipalpis as a parasite of D. nigricornis larvae -------------------- 110 5.4 DISCUSSION---------------------------- 120 6 EVALUATION OF COFFEE CANOPY DAMAGE BY DIRPHYA NIGRICORNIS --------------- 124 6.1 INTRODUCTION------------------------- 124 6.2 MATERIALS AND METHODS ---------------- 125 6.2.1 Evaluation of d a m a g e ----------------- 125 6.3 RESULTS ------------------------------- 130 6.3.1 Evaluation of d a m a g e ----------------- 130 6.4 DISCUSSION--------------------------- 146 7 GENERAL DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS — 149 REFERENCES--------------------------- 15 6 APPENDICES--------------------------- 169 viii LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 1 Correlation coefficients for two measurements of reproduction (oviposition rate per day, total fecundity) versus three measurements of coitus (no. times mated, mean mating duration, total mating duration) for different pupulations ------- 27 2 Life table for three generations of D. nigricornis reared under field conditions on coffee in Ke n y a -------------------------- 28 3 Statistics on adult survival days and birth rates of two brood generations of D. niaricornis reared under field conditions on coffee in Kenya --------------- 30 4 Fecundity and fertility of D. nigricornis eggs for wild, first and second brood females------------------------------------- 31 5a Absolute number of egg niches of D. nigricornis on different coffee shoots relative to internode position, during the long-rains season (March to May) in K e n y a -------------------------------------- 34 IX TABLE Page 5b Absolute number of egq niches of D. nigricornis on different coffee shoots relative to internode position, during the short-rains season (October and November) in K e n y a ------------------------ 35 6 Effects of internode colour and distance from primordia on the number of egg niches of D. nigricornis in different types of coffee s h o o t s -------------------- 36 7 Calculations of F ratios from the 2 determined force (mg/mm ) required to peel off the bark on internodes of coffee Diants to prepare a niche --------- 38 8 Relationship between girth at site of oviposition by D. nigricornis and percent incidence of egg niches on four coffee varieties -------------------------- 39 9 Primordia in tip internodes of coffee shoots which carried large numbers of D . nigricornis egg niches --------------- 40 Oviposition rhythms of D. nigricornis relative to hours of day and coffee canopy temperatures 42 X TABLE Page 11a Frequency of oviposition intervals (minutes) for the eggs produced by D. nigricornis females within the day of oviposition for wild (W), first (F) and second (S) brood populations ----------------------- 43 lib Effects of reproductive days of D. nigricornis females on intervals (minutes) between consecutive ovipositions for wild (W), first (F) and second (S) brood generations --- 45 12 The intervals (hours) between terminal and initiation of oviposi tions between days for wild, first and second broods D. nigricornis females ------------------------------ 46 13 Comparative incidence of egg niches in two varieties of coffee infested by D. nigricornis in three long rainy seasons, 1982-1984 ------------------- 50 14 Comparative incidence of egg niches in two varieties of coffee infested by D. nigricornis in three short rainy seasons, 1982-1984 ----------- 51 XI TABLE Page 15 The location (cm) of D. nigricornis egg niches on different shoots of coffee relative to the tips from the varieties French Mission (FM) and SL34 during 1982 --------------------- 53 16 Comparative levels of coffee canopy infestation by D. nigricornis deter mined for two coffee varieties in different seasons,1982-1984 --------- 55 17 Canopy reinfestation by D. nigricornis determined for two coffee varieties in different seasons, 1982-1984 ------- 56 18 The changes in the number and percentage fluctuations of D. nigricornis due to brooding over generation----------------------- 69 19a Duration of the development of D. nigricornis emerging as first brood generation when raised from eggs destined to develop into females (days) -------------------------------- 71 19b Duration of the development of D. nigricornis emerging as first brood generation when raised from eggs destined to develop into males (days) ------------------------- 72 xii TABLE Page 20a Duration of the development of D. nigricornis emerging as second brood generation when raised from eggs destined to develop into females (days) ----------------------- 74 20b Duration of the development of D. nigricornis emerging as second brood generation when raised from eggs destined to develop into males (days) --------------------------------- 75 21 The total