Sugarcane Production in Malawi: Pest, Pesticides and Potential for Biological Control
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Norwegian University of Life Sciences Faculty of Biosciences Department of Plant Sciences Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) Thesis 2018:65 Sugarcane Production in Malawi: Pest, Pesticides and Potential for Biological Control Sukkerrørpoduksjon i Malawi: skadedyr, plantevernmidler og potensial for biologisk kontroll Trust Kasambala Donga Sugarcane Production in Malawi: Pests, Pesticides and Potential for Biological Control Sukkerrørproduksjon i Malawi: Skadegjørere, Plantevernmidler og Potensial for biologisk kontroll Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) Thesis TRUST KASAMBALA DONGA Norwegian University of Life Sciences Faculty of Biovitenskap Department of Plant Sciences Ås (2018) Thesis number 2018:65 ISSN 1894-6402 ISBN 978-82-575-1533-1 PhD supervisors: Professor Richard Meadow Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Plant Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, N0-1432 Ås, Norway Dr. Ingeborg Klingen Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research, Biotechnology and Plant Health Division. P.O. Box 115, NO-1431 Ås, Norway Professor Ole Martin Eklo Norwegian Institute for Bioeconomy Research, Biotechnology and Plant Health Division. P.O. Box 115, NO-1431 Ås, Norway Professor Bishal Sitaula Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of International Environment and Development Studies, P.O. Box 5003, N0-1432 Ås, Norway Contents Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................................... 4 Summary ....................................................................................................................................................... 5 Sammendrag ................................................................................................................................................. 8 List of papers included in the thesis ............................................................................................................ 11 1. General introduction ........................................................................................................................... 12 1.1. Importance of sugarcane ............................................................................................................. 12 1.2. Sugarcane production in Malawi ................................................................................................ 12 1.3. Sugarcane production constraints in Malawi .............................................................................. 15 1.3.1. Pest of sugarcane in Malawi ............................................................................................... 15 1.3.2. Climate variability............................................................................................................... 16 1.4. Management of sugarcane pests ................................................................................................. 17 1.4.1. Cultural control ................................................................................................................... 17 1.4.2. Biological control ................................................................................................................ 17 1.4.3. Chemical control ................................................................................................................. 18 2. The thesis ............................................................................................................................................ 20 2.1. Project justification ..................................................................................................................... 20 2.2. Study objectives .......................................................................................................................... 24 2.3. Materials and methods ................................................................................................................ 24 2.3.1. Insect collection and identification ..................................................................................... 25 2.3.2. Pesticide and secondary data collection .............................................................................. 25 2.3.3. Soil and sugarcane sample collection, and mycological analysis ....................................... 25 2.3.4. Phylogenetic analysis .......................................................................................................... 26 2.3.5. Establishment of insect pathogenic fungi as a sugarcane endophyte .................................. 27 2.4. Main results and discussion ........................................................................................................ 27 2.4.1. Impact of climate change on pesticides used in sugarcane production ............................... 27 2.4.2. Incidence and management of sugarcane pests in Malawi ................................................. 28 2.4.3. Risks associated with pesticides used in sugarcane production in Malawi ......................... 32 2.4.4. Natural occurrence of beneficial fungal endophytes entomopathogenic fungi in sugarcane fields in Malawi .................................................................................................................................. 34 2.4.5. Inoculation of sugarcane by an entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana ................ 36 2.5. Conclusion and future perspectives ............................................................................................ 37 2.5.1. Conclusion .......................................................................................................................... 37 2.5.2. Future perspectives ............................................................................................................. 38 3. References ........................................................................................................................................... 39 4. Papers I – V ......................................................................................................................................... 60 Acknowledgments I am greatly indebted to Capacity Building for Climate Change Adaptation in Malawi (CABMACC) project for providing me a PhD scholarship and funds for research work. I am very appreciative to my supervisory team that was comprised of Professors Richard Meadow and Bishal Sitaula, Associate Professor Ole Martin Eklo and Dr Ingeborg Klingen. I will always cherish their untiring efforts, support, guidance and constructive criticisms during my PhD study and development of manuscripts. I am also thankful to Nicolai Y. Meyling for going the extra mile to provide me lectures on how to use tools available for molecular identification of fungal species. I would like to thank Mr Madaltso Koloko for introducing me to sugarcane and helping me understands several aspect of sugarcane agronomy. My special thanks go to my colleagues at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, especially Associate Professor Maxwell Lowole and Dr Wezi Mhango for their support during my field work in Malawi. Thank you also Dr Daudi Kachamba for proof reading my manuscripts and Moses Majid Limuwa for helping me with literature on climate change. I am so thankful to all my friends for their encouragement especially Stéphanie Saussure, Anne- Kari Holm, Marta Bosque Rachel Muya and Monique Nawej, Nadine and Martine Mtibarufata, Samson Pilanazo Katengeza, Mauya Msuku, Fundi Kayamba-Phiri, Cecilia Munthali, Ellen Kayendeke and Beatrice Clarence Misaka. My heartfelt thanks go to my humble husband Moses Donga Ngulube; my dear mother Mirriam Kasambala and all my siblings Mainala, Khumbo, Jane, Honest, Promise, Yobu and Chinsinsi for believing in me, encouraging and supporting all my academic endeavors. I am so indebted to my late dad Hudson Knight Kasambala, he was my mentor and role model. Trust Kasambala Donga Ås, July 2018 i Summary Sugarcane is an importance source of energy and livelihoods worldwide. The production of sugarcane is significantly affected by several insects, weeds and pathogens commonly referred to as pests. In addition, climate scientists predict that climate change or variability will affect sugarcane production and its associated pests. Chemicals called pesticides, beneficial pathogens and insects called natural enemies or biological control agents are used to control these pests. Little is known about the diversity and richness of both pest and natural enemy species nor the properties of the pesticides used against them in Malawi. Few studies indicate that insects such as stemborers and aphids, and weeds are the most common pests; and that their control is heavily dependence on pesticides. Plant pathogens also infect sugarcane but are controlled using cultural methods. However, pesticides are harmful to the environment and improper use may lead to human poisoning. Knowing the main pests and using pesticides that are least harmful to the environment and natural enemies coupled with good crop management practices may contribute to solving this problem. To document pest composition and how they were controlled, a review of literature, questionnaire and farm surveys were conducted in the major sugarcane growing areas of Malawi. The questionnaire survey was administered to 55 farmers and 7 representatives of 1474 farmers. We collected 221 insect samples from 48 sugarcane fields and isolated beneficial fungi from 12 soil and 60 plant samples collected from 12 sugarcane fields in southern Malawi, respectively.