Abstract
BackgroundAlloeocranum biannulipes Montr. and Sign.(Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is a predator present in stored yam chips and a promising biological control agent against Dinoderus porcellus Lesne (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae). Numerical responses of A. biannulipes to different densities (1, 2, 4, 6, and 8) of D. porcellus larvae were evaluated under ambient laboratory conditions (T°: 25 ± 2 °C; RH: 75–80%; photoperiod 12:12 h (L/D)). The number of consumed prey, duration of pre-oviposition and oviposition, number of eggs laid, pre-imaginal development times and mortality rate of the predator were recorded.ResultsThe results revealed that A. biannulipes females preying on the highest larval density of D. porcellus (8) presented the highest predation rate (4.34 ± 0.18 larvae/predator/day), shortest pre-oviposition period (11.01 ± 0.57 days) and the highest oviposition period (15.83 ± 1.02 days). The daily number of eggs laid by A. biannulipes female (y) as a function of the number of D. porcellus larvae consumed (x) was modelled by the equation y = 0.158x2 – 0.4073x + 3.8151 (R2 = 0.571). The efficiency of prey conversion into eggs of A. biannulipes females decreased with increased prey density. The prey density did not affect the hatching rate of A. biannulipes eggs and the pre-imaginal development times. However, A. biannulipes nymphs fed with more (2 to 8) D. porcellus showed a significantly higher survival rate than those fed with a single larva.ConclusionsThe positive numerical response of A. biannulipes suggests that this predator could play a key role in biological control program against D. porcellus.
Highlights
Alloeocranum biannulipes Montr. and Sign.(Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is a predator present in stored yam chips and a promising biological control agent against Dinoderus porcellus Lesne (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae)
The positive numerical response of A. biannulipes suggests that this predator could play a key role in biological control program against D. porcellus
Oviposition of A. biannulipes females preying on different larval densities of D. porcellus The number of D. porcellus larvae consumed influenced the duration of pre-oviposition and oviposition of A. biannulipes females (Table 1)
Summary
Alloeocranum biannulipes Montr. and Sign.(Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is a predator present in stored yam chips and a promising biological control agent against Dinoderus porcellus Lesne (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae). Sign.(Hemiptera: Reduviidae) is a predator present in stored yam chips and a promising biological control agent against Dinoderus porcellus Lesne (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae). The beetle Dinoderus porcellus Lesne (1923) is the most abundant and economically important pest of stored yam chips in West Africa (Adedire & Gbaye, 2002; Loko et al, 2013; Osuji, 1980). It causes significant economic impact because yam chips represent the main form of long-term preservation of yam tubers (Omohimi et al, 2018), which are the staple food of million people in West Africa with. The use of biological control agent appears to be an ecofriendly alternative method to control this storage pest
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