Abstract
Lepidopteran stem borers account for heavy losses in cereals in areas where they are prevalent throughout Africa. Microsporidia, especially Nosema sp. may be developed for use in the management of this group of insect pests. Studies carried out so far show that the application of Nosema spores may increase yield up to 34% in sorghum when the plants are infested with Chilo partellus eggs and sprayed with the pathogen, and up to 80% in sorghum infested with borer larvae. The procedure for spore production is simple, and may easily be adapted for small scale industrial production by local or regional communities and organizations. In trials aimed at the mass production of Nosema sp. for the management of C. partellus, a yield of 109 spores/larva has been attained. If this production level can be maintained, then a system that produces only 6000 larvae/day would yield enough cadavers for preparation of 6000 l daily. At the rate in which the pathogen suspension is applied as foliar sprays in the field, this would be sufficient to treat 5373 ha. If widely adopted, use of microsporidia would revolutionize cereal stem borer management in the tropics.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
