Studies on the Chemical Control of Cacao Mirids, Distantiella theobroma (Dist.) and Sahlbergella singularis Hagl

Abstract

Laboratory and field tests were made to investigate the toxicity, mode of action and persistence of technical DDT and γ BHC when applied to cacao in Ghana to control the Mirids, Distantiella theobroma (Dist.) and Sahlbergella singularis Hagl. The insecticides were tested at concentrations previously used in field trials. D. theobroma, S. singularis and Tribolium castaneum (Hbst.) were used as test insects. Preliminary tests with aldrin, chlordane and dieldrin were also made.Cacao pods were sprayed to drip point with the test insecticides and the deposit was allowed to dry. Mirid nymphs were placed on the pods and the rate of knockdown and the mortality after exposure for a test period was recorded. These tests showed that BHC had a higher toxicity and acted much more quickly than DDT. BHC greatly reduced feeding.Fumigant action was tested by spraying cacao leaves to drip point with the test insecticides, allowing the deposit to dry, and then exposing Mirid nymphs and adults over discs cut from the leaves. BHC had a powerful but transient fumigant action; adults, fifth- and second-instar nymphs were killed after, respectively, ½, 4 and 3 hours’ exposure at 28–30°C. over leaves treated with 0·25 per cent, γ BHC. No fumigant effect was observed after prolonged exposure over leaves treated with 2·5 per cent, technical DDT.Persistence was studied by treating cacao leaves and pods growing under natural conditions and then testing the residual deposit at intervals. Tests with T. castaneum showed that when leaves were sprayed to drip point the residual toxicity of 1·25 and 2·5 per cent, technical DDT fell steadily and was negligible after an interval of three and six weeks, respectively; that of 0·25–2 per cent, γ BHC was negligible after 2–3 days. Corresponding tests with Mirids on pods were less consistent but suggested that 2·5 per cent, technical DDT was still effective against first-instar nymphs after three weeks; 0·25 per cent, γ BHC had a residual toxic effect for at least several days and depressed feeding greatly for at least a fortnight. It is suggested that BHC may have a local systemic action which persists after the surface deposit becomes ineffective.Of the other insecticides tested, aldrin had a high toxicity and powerful fumigant action and appeared to be the most promising alternative to BHC.It was concluded that BHC would be more effective than DDT when treating mature cacao because, in addition to its higher toxicity and quicker action, its fumigant action would compensate for incomplete coverage by low-volume spraying.