Effects of Host Age and Density on the Performance of Apanteles hemara (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a Larval Endoparasitoid of Spoladea recurvalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).

The amaranth leaf-webber, Spoladea recurvalis (Fabricius; Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is a serious pest of Amaranthus sp. in Africa and Asia. Apanteles hemara (Nixon; Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is by far the most important larval endoparasitoid of the amaranth leaf-webber. We examined the effects of host density and age on the biological characteristics of A. hemara. The regression model of the number of hosts supplied to A. hemara against the number of larvae parasitized resulted in a curve corresponding to type II functional response, with a significant increase in the number of hosts parasitized up to the density of 30 hosts before being constant up to 40 hosts. In contrast, the parasitism rate decreased linearly with increasing host densities. Development time, sex ratio, and adult longevity were not significantly affected by host density. The immature parasitoid mortality was significantly higher at higher host densities. Apanteles hemara did not parasitize 7-d-old larvae and beyond, while parasitism was significantly higher among 1- to 2-d-old compared with 3- to 4-d-old larvae. Immature parasitoid mortality was 2.6 times higher in 1- to 2-d-old larvae compared with 5- to 6-d-old larvae. The developmental period of the parasitoid from egg to adult was longest among 1- to 2-d-old larvae and least among 5- to 6-d-old larvae. Nonreproductive mortality was markedly higher among 1- to 2-d-old larvae compared with the older larvae. Adult female A. hemara were significantly larger on 3- to 4-d-old larvae compared with either 1- to 2-d-old or 5- to 6-d-old larvae. We discuss the implications of our results for the interpretation of functional response in parasitoids, mass rearing, conservation, and augmentative biological control of S. recurvalis.

Performance of Apanteles hemara (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on two Amaranth Leaf-webbers: Spoladea recurvalis and Udea ferrugalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).

Amaranth is an African indigenous vegetable that is gaining popularity due to its nutritional, medicinal, and economic values. In East Africa, frequent outbreaks of Lepidopteran leaf-webbers, Spoladea recurvalis F. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) and Udea ferrugalis Hübner (1976) are reported on this crop, causing up to 100% foliage loss. The larval endoparasitoid Apanteles hemara Nixon is also frequently found associated with these pests during the outbreaks, however, its performance on both pests has never been documented. Laboratory studies were therefore carried out to assess the acceptability and suitability of S. recurvalis and U. ferrugalis to A. hemara. Both leaf-webber species were accepted by and suitable for the parasitoid. The mean host searching time and oviposition attempts were neither affected by rearing host nor test host. The total developmental time of A. hemara ranged between 10.6 ± 0.16 and 12.8 ± 0.30 days on both hosts. The sex ratio of the parasitoid was female biased when reared on S. recurvalis but male biased on U. ferrugalis. When offered 50 larvae of leaf-webbers for 24 h, a single female A. hemara achieved parasitism rates from 42.63 ± 5.80 to 44.55 ± 5.95, while a cohort of five females resulted in parasitism rates between 87.25 ± 2.70 and 94.67 ± 1.98 %. There was no significant difference between hosts in regard to progeny fitness at each parasitoid density. The parasitoid also caused significant nonreproductive larval mortalities in the hosts. The implications of these findings for mass rearing of the parasitoid as well as for conservation and augmentative biological control of amaranth lepidopteran leaf-webbers in East Africa are discussed.

Diversity, distribution and role of wild crucifers in major cabbage and kale growing areas of Kenya.

An investigation of the diversity and distribution of wild crucifer species and their importance for cultivated crucifers was conducted during 2005 and 2006 in the highland and mid-altitude semi-arid areas of Kenya. Thirteen species of wild crucifers in nine genera were recorded: Raphanus raphanistrum, Erucastrum arabicum, Sisymbrium officinale, Crambe kilimandscharica, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Rorippa nudiuscula, Ro. micrantha, Ro. microphylla, Lepidium bonariense, Coronopus didymus, Brassica rapa, B. juncea and an unidentified Brassica species. Highland areas had significantly higher species diversity and species richness than mid-altitude semi-arid areas. Species richness, diversity and evenness varied with season and location. Raphanus raphanistrum was the dominant non-cultivated species in the highlands followed by E. arabicum, which was also present and dominant in the semi-arid study sites. Diamondback moth (DBM) was recorded from ten wild crucifer species and R. raphanistrum and E. arabicum were the preferred host plant species. Overall, four larval, one larval-pupal and one pupal parasitoid of DBM were recorded: Diadegma semiclausum, D. mollipla, Apanteles sp., Cotesia plutellae, Oomyzus sokolowskii and Brachymeria species, respectively. Diadegma semiclausum was the most dominant species on all crucifers. We conclude that wild crucifers act as alternative hosts for DBM and provide refugia for DBM parasitoids, which risk local extinction through pesticide application or competition from introduced exotic parasitoid species. The wild crucifers also act as recolonization sites for DBM parasitoids.