Seasonal Abundance of Amaranth Lepidopteran
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SEASONAL ABUNDANCE OF AMARANTH LEPIDOPTERAN DEFOLIATORS AND THE ROLE OF INDIGENOUS PARASITOIDS AND PHENYLACETALDEHYDE IN THEIR CONTROL IN NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA TITLE OTHIM STEPHEN TARMOGIN OMBURO (BSc. MICROB.) A146/23316/2012 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE CROP PROTECTION (ENTOMOLOGY OPTION) OF KENYATTA UNIVERSITY AUGUST 2016 DECLARATION Declaration by candidate I declare that this thesis is my original work and has not been presented for the award of a degree in any other university or any other award Signature …………………………Date……………………………… Othim Stephen Tarmogin Omburo Supervisors’ approval: We confirm that the work reported in this thesis was carried out by the candidate under our supervision and has been submitted with our approval as supervisors Signature…................................Date ………………………… Dr. Ruth Kahuthia-Gathu Department of Agricultural Science and Technology Kenyatta University Signature…................................Date ………………………… Dr. Komi Kouma Mokpokpo Fiaboe Plant Health Division International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) ii DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to My loving and caring mother Florence Othim My loving and dearest wife Diana Nyanting’a who has been my source of inspiration iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I sincerely thank my supervisors Dr. Ruth Kahuthia-Gathu of Kenyatta University and Dr. Komi Fiaboe of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) for their guidance, advice and criticism that helped me in my research work and final write-up. I also thank Dr. Akutse Komivi of icipe for his guidance and direction throughout the research period until completion. Special thanks to The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) for sponsoring my research through the African Indigenous Vegetables Integrated Pest Management (AIV-IPM) project. I thank ICIPE and Kenyatta University for granting me an opportunity and facilities to conduct my research at their campuses. I wish to thank Faith Nyamu, Sospeter Wafula, Joan Mukiri, Raphael Kioko and Raphael Mukiti for their support in the management of colonies and supply of plants. Appreciation to Samuel Muchemi and Carolyne Foba of Leafminer (LMF) project for their advice and reviews. Special thanks to my loving mum Florence Othim for her moral and financial support throughout my entire period of study. Deepest appreciation to my loving wife Diana Omoke for her endless motivation and moral support during my research. Greatest appreciation and thanks to the Almighty God who Has been faithful and brought me to this great achievement. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE ................................................................................................................. i DECLARATION .............................................................................................. ii DEDICATION ................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................ iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................. v LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................... x LIST OF PLATES ........................................................................................... xi ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ...................................................... xii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................... xiii CHAPTER 1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION ............................................... 1 1.1 Background ............................................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement of the problem .......................................................................... 5 1.3 Justification of the study ........................................................................... 6 1.4 Research questions ................................................................................... 7 1.5 Hypotheses ............................................................................................... 7 1.6 Objectives of the study ............................................................................. 8 1.6.1 General Objective .............................................................................. 8 1.6.2 Specific objectives ............................................................................. 8 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................... 9 2.1 Origin, distribution and uses of amaranth ................................................ 9 2.2 Growing conditions of amaranth ............................................................ 11 2.3 Varieties of amaranth.............................................................................. 12 2.4 Lepidopteran defoliators of amaranth .................................................... 13 2.5 Ecology and distribution of amaranth lepidopteran defoliators ............. 13 2.6 Alternative host crops of amaranth leafwebbers (webworms) ............... 14 2.7 Biology of amaranth leafwebbers ........................................................... 15 2.7.1 Description of Spoladea (Hymenia) recurvalis ............................... 16 2.7.2 Description and biology of Udea ferrugalis .................................... 17 v 2.8 Webworm damage on amaranths ........................................................... 18 2.9 Management of lepidopteran defoliators of amaranth ............................ 20 2.9.1 Cultural and physical/ mechanical control ...................................... 20 2.9.2 Use of synthetic pesticides .............................................................. 21 2.9.3 Botanical pesticides ......................................................................... 22 2.9.4 Microbial control agents .................................................................. 22 2.9.5 Plant volatiles for pest management ................................................ 23 2.9.6 Parasitoids of leaf webbers .............................................................. 24 2.9.6.1 Biology of Apanteles sp. ............................................................... 25 CHAPTER 3: MATERIALS AND METHODS .......................................... 27 3.1 Study sites ............................................................................................... 27 3.2 General methodology ............................................................................. 28 3.3 Assessing the seasonal abundance of lepidopteran defoliators attacking amaranths at the field ............................................................................ 29 3.4 Assessing the effect of Phenylacetaldehyde as an attractant of lepidopteran defoliators of amaranth ..................................................... 30 3.5 Effect of amaranth lines on the abundance of lepidopteran defoliators and their associated parasitoids ............................................................. 31 3.6 Assessing the incidence and levels of damage caused by lepidopteran defoliators on amaranths ....................................................................... 32 3.7 Evaluation of the acceptability and suitability of Spoladea recurvalis and Udea ferrugalis to Apanteles hemara ................................................... 32 3.7.1 Host plants ....................................................................................... 32 3.7.2 Leaf webber colonies ....................................................................... 33 3.7.3 Apanteles hemara colony ................................................................ 34 3.7.4 Host acceptability ............................................................................ 34 3.7.5 Host suitability ................................................................................. 35 3.8 Data analyses .......................................................................................... 36 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS ............................................................................... 38 vi 4.1 Assessing the seasonal abundance of lepidopteran defoliators attacking amaranths and their associated parasitoids at the field.......................... 38 4.2 Investigating the potential of Phenylacetaldehyde as attractant of amaranth lepidopteran defoliators attacking amaranth crops ................ 41 4.3 Determining the effects of selected amaranth lines on the abundance of lepidopteran defoliators ......................................................................... 45 4.4 Assessing the effect of seasonality and amaranth lines on the incidence and levels of damage by amaranth lepidopteran defoliators ................. 48 4.5 Evaluation of the acceptability and suitability of Spoladea recurvalis and Udea ferrugalis to the endoparasitoid Apanteles hemara ..................... 50 CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION ......................................................................... 58 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .............. 68 6.1 Conclusions ............................................................................................ 68 6.2 Recommendations .................................................................................. 69 6.3 Suggestions