Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology

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Browsing Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology by browse.metadata.advisor "Barnes, B. N."

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    Development of an integrated pest management system for vine mealybug, Planococcus ficus (Signoret), in vineyards in the Western Cape Province, South Africa
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2003-03) Walton, Vaughn M. (Vaughn Martin); Pringle, K. L.; Barnes, B. N.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A survey was conducted in the Western Cape Province during the 1999/2000 and 2000/2001 seasons on mealybugs occurring in vineyards. P/anococcus ficus (Signoret) was the dominant mealybug in vineyards during this time. During this study P. ficus was recorded for the first time on roots of grapevines, which has far reaching implications for the control of this important vine leafroll virus vector as control actions were focused on above ground control. Other mealybugs presently recorded in local vineyards included Pseudococcus /ongispinus (Targioni) and Ferrisia ma/vastra (McDaniel). Pseudococcus viburni (Maskell) and Ps. so/ani Ferris were found on weeds in vineyards. Natural enemies of P. ficus recorded most frequently were species of Nephus predatory beetles, and the parasitaids Coccidoxenoides peregrinus (Timberlake), Anagyrus sp. and Leptomastix dacty/opii (Howard). Developmental studies on P. ficus and C. peregrinus indicated that the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) was similar, peaking at 25°C (rm = 0.169 for P. ficus; rm = 0.149 for C. peregrinus). The net replacement rate (Ra) was higher for P. ficus than for C. peregrinus at all five temperatures tested. The Ra for P. ficus reached a maximum at 21°C (308.87) and C. peregrinus at 25°C for C. peregrinus (69.94). The lower and upper thresholds for development of P. ficus were estimated at 16.59 and 35.61°C respectively. The lower threshold for development of C. peregrinus was 8.85°C. These parameters indicated that both insects were well adapted to temperatures in the Western Cape Province. The lower minimum threshold temperature of C. peregrinus in relation to that of P. ficus suggests that C. peregrinus should be more active during winter and early spring than P. ficus. A central systematic presence-absence sampling system was developed for P. ficus. Monitoring three different plant parts on the vine indicated that new growth areas on vines adjacent to the main stem could serve as an early warning system for pending P. ficus bunch infestations. Intervention should be planned when 2 % of the stems are infested with P. ficus when using this system. Seasonal population studies of P. ficus and its natural enemies showed that stem infestation by P. ficus reached peak levels during January in Robertson and Stellenbosch and during February in the Hex River Valley. Vine mealybugs colonised new growth early in the season, followed by the leaves and eventually the bunches towards the end of the season. High stem infestations early in the season resulted in high bunch infestation levels at harvest. A density dependent relationship was evident between P. ficus populations and parasitoid populations, suggesting that the parasitoids played a mayor role in the biological control of P. ficus populations. Biological control was however only achieved towards the end of the season when damage to the crop had already occurred. Mass releases of C. peregrinus on P. ficus populations were done in order to augment biological control as an alternative to chemical control. Between five and six releases of 20 000 C. peregrinus per release were done at monthly intervals in three grapegrowing areas. Mass released C. peregrinus controlled P. ficus adequately in the Hex River Valley. Control of P. ficus using this approach was no worse than using chemical control in Robertson and Stellenbosch. C. peregrinus is commercially available and can therefore be used as an alternative to chemical control by producers. Degree day estimation was used to predict development of P. ficus populations. This information was used as an input in a P. ficus pest management model. Data acquired from P. ficus and ant monitoring were used as components to construct a decision chart. This chart can be used by producers to optimise the control of P. ficus populations using either chemical control or mass releases of C. peregrinus.
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    Field biology and identification of fruit flies in the Western Cape Province
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2004-12) Hobololo, Vuyisile Lanele; Pringle, K. L.; Geertsema, H.; Barnes, B. N.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Two fruit fly species, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and C. rosa (Karsch) (Diptera: Tephritidae) are known to attack deciduous fruit in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The relative abundance of these two pests was studied in different kinds of fruit throughout the year. To facilitate field monitoring, using the immature stages, morphological differences between larval instars of C. capitata and C. rosa were investigated. Morphological characters of the larvae, such as the spiracles (anterior and posterior), mouth hooks and oral ridges were used. Many of these characters are only suitable to distinguish between the second and third instar larvae as these structures are not yet developed in the first instar larvae. Anterior spiracles were examined in terms of the number of tubules (papillae) and size or shape of the felt chambers. The number of papillae in both species was similar in the second and third instar larvae, but differed between the larvae of the two species (8-10 for C. capitata and 10-13 for C. rosa). In both species the felt chambers of the second instar larvae were narrow and elongate whilst those of the third instar larvae were broad and short. The major difference between the mouthhooks of the two tephritids was the presence of a sub-apical tooth in the third instar larva of C. rosa, being absent in the third instar of C. capitata. For the morphometric study, both laboratory-reared and field-collected specimens were examined. Measurements of the body dimensions (length and width) and various parts of the cephalopharyngeal skeleton (CPS) (mandible base, mandible length and distance between the tip and notch) were recorded in all three instars of both C. capitata and C. rosa. The data were analysed using finite mixture analysis (FMA-N1) and Levene's test was used to test for homogeneity of variances. The results of these analyses were used to estimate the frequency distributions of the larval measurements. In some cases overlaps in distributions were evident and were resolved using the same program, finite mixture analysis (FMA-N1), based on the probability of the overlapping measurements belonging to the designated instar (i.e. the one with highest probability). Determination of growth ratios suggested an approximate conformation to Dyar's rule thereby disputing the possibility of any hidden instar. However, in most cases measurements of the field samples did not conform to Dyar's rule. For the larval instars of C. capitata and C. rosa with overlapping morphological features, the morphometric approach as a distinguishing tool was demonstrated. In the field survey, the relative abundance of C. rosa at all experimental sites was very low in both orchards and adjacent vines. This suggested that this pest was either not a threat in these sites (crops) or the monitoring procedures applied, should be revised. Trap catches indicated high levels of infestation by C. capitata on some sites and low infestation levels at others. On the site with the highest population levels, activity peaks in the orchards did not co-incide with those in the adjacent vineyards. This suggested that these vineyards could be alternative hosts for fruit fly after the fruit in the orchards have been harvested. Forced oviposition (in vitro) studies indicated that Colombard (grown in Simonsvlei) was the most suitable host for survival of C. capitata. Other wine grape cultivars such as Chardonnay were also suitable for the total larval development of C. capitata.
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    Modifying an artificial diet for mass rearing mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae), using locally available maize meal
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2003-03) Rini, Lulama Angela; Pringle, K. L.; Barnes, B. N.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is well-known as a destructive pest of fruit worldwide. Various control methods have been used against this insect. The sterile insect technique (SIT) is used as an important and successful technological method for controlling or eradicating this pest in many countries. A key factor to successfully apply SIT is dependent on the availability of efficient and economical rearing methods. Artificial insect diets with low cost bulking agents have been of interest to many researchers. The present study investigated the use of locally available maize meal as a bulking agent in such diets. Maize meal is used for human consumption (in South Africa) and contains small amounts of protein. This makes the reduction of imported torula yeast as an ingredient of the diet and source of protein possible, thereby reducing the cost of the diet. The larval development of the Medfly reared on artificial diets was studied in small and large-scale tests. The effect of the diets on larval production was evaluated using pupal recovery, pupal weight, flight ability, sex ratio, fecundity and egg fertility. The results of the small-scale tests showed that the diet containing maize meal could be used to produce Medfly more economically than the standard Krige diet used by the ARC Infruitec-Nietvoorbij Research Institute at Stellenbosch. However, in large-scale tests the ingredients quantities of the diets used were not the same as those of small scale-tests. The cost of the modified larval diet was not reduced in large-scale tests. This was ascribed to the number of eggs used in the tests to produce one million of fruit flies. The maize meal with reduced number of eggs require more diet to produce one million flies therefore, making it more expensive and less viable. When similar amounts of eggs were used, the diet appears to be a suitable alternative as the result obtained was almost similar to those of the Krige diet.