Host Range of Sturmiopsis Parasitica (Currran) (Diptera;Tachinidae) and Interspecific competition with Cotesa Sesamiae (Cameron)(Hymenoptera:Braconidae) in kenya

Abstract:

Cereal stemborers in Kenya include Busseola fusca, B. phaia, Sesamia calamistis, S. botanephaga, Eldana saccharina, Chilo orichalcociliellus, and Ch. partellus. The stemborers cause 50% yield losses in cereal crops including maize, sorghum, and sugarcane. Damage to the host plants results from the feeding and excavating of tunnels by the larvae. The different stemborer control options include pesticides, early planting, intercropping with non-cereals, and host plant resistance. Pesticides are expensive and pose a health and environmental hazard. Moreover, they are not fully effective due to the cryptic feeding behavior of the pest larvae. Therefore there is a need to search for more efficient and convenient control methods for these pests. Biological control is one such method where natural enemies are used.