Trap cropping with Napier grass, Pennisetum purpureum (Schumach), decreases damage by maize stem borers

Abstract

Napier grass, Pennisetum purpureum (Schumach), in combination with intercrops has been used successfully in habitat management for maize stem borers in Africa. The use of Napier grass only as a trap or barrier plant for Chilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) and Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was evaluated in this study. Napier grass borders were planted only on two sides of small-scale farmers’ maize fields, since planting of perennial trap crops on all sides of fields hampered mechanical cultivation. C. partellus was the dominant borer species, followed by B. fusca and Sesamia calamistis (Hampson) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Reductions between 0% and 27.4% in the incidence of borer-infested plants were observed on the 16 farms evaluated in this study. The results show that Napier grass as trap/barrier crop suppresses stem borer numbers in maize fields.