Papers by Muluken Goftishu
ISSN: 2320-7817| eISSN: 2320-964X, 2017
The study was conducted at the Plant Protection Laboratory of Haramaya University at a controlled... more The study was conducted at the Plant Protection Laboratory of Haramaya University at a controlled environment of 28±2 0 C and 75±5% R.H. The objectives were to determine the effective doses of neem seed powder, citrus peel powder and their oil extracts and to evaluate some improved varieties and land races of sorghum for their resistance to maize weevil. Treatments were arranged in CRD replicated four times. Fifty unsexed 3-6 days old maize weevil adults were introduced to each glass jar containing 0.1kg muyra-2 seed. In the first botanical study, neem seed and citrus peel oils each at five rates of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5 ml, Malathion 5% dust and acetone treated control were evaluated. The results indicated that, all of the parameters analyzed at all rates of the botanical oils showed significant difference over the acetone treated control except for F1 progeny emergence and weight loss at 0.25 ml NSO. The botanical oils at rates of 0.75, 1 and 1.5 ml NSO and 1.5 ml CPO per 100 g sorghum produced adult weevil mortality in the range of 91.25-100% and seed protection of 83-100% similar to that of the positive control. For the same botanical oil rates weevil emergence, seed damage and weight losses were statistically at par with Malathion 5% dust. However, sorghum seeds treated with botanical oils showed a significant reduction in germination compared to Malathion 5% dust. Further research on the botanical oils for long period of time under farmer's storage structure could be necessary.
Annales de la Société Entomologique de France , 2017
Twelve morphologically similar species of Acrapex Hampson 1894, (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuina... more Twelve morphologically similar species of Acrapex Hampson 1894, (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini,
Sesamiina), from Western, Central and Eastern Africa are reviewed. Eight of these species are new to science and are described:
Acrapex akunamatata n. sp. and A. incrassata n. sp. from Kenya; A. gracilis n. sp., A. iringa n. sp., A. lukumbura n. sp. and A.
rungwe n. sp. from Tanzania; A. soyema n. sp. from Ethiopia; and A. zoutoi n. sp. from Benin. All 12 species belong to a species
complex that we hereby define as the Acrapex apicestriata group. Host-plants for three of the new species are recorded: Setaria
incrassata (Hochst.) Hack. for Acrapex incrassata; Cymbopogon pospishilii (K. Schum.) C.E. Hubb. for A. rungwe; and
Andropogon perligulatus Stapf. for A. zoutoi. We also conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses (using maximum likelihood
and Bayesian inference) on a six gene multimarker molecular dataset (four mitochondrial and two nuclear gene fragments; 4581
nucleotides in length) consisting of 15 Acrapex species (including seven species from the apicestriata group) and four outgroups
species from the subtribe Sesamiina (from genera Busseola Thurau 1904, Sciomesa Tams & Bowden 1953, Pirateolea Moyal, Le
Ru, Conlong, Cugala, Defabachew, Matama-Kauma, Pallangyo & Van den Berg 2010 and Sesamia Boisduval & Guenée 1852).
Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses yield a similar and well-supported topology, which supports the
monophyly of the apicestriata group.
Pest Management Journal of Ethiopia , 2016
Following the outbreak of a spider mite infestation on the main season of 2014 on potato at Haram... more Following the outbreak of a spider mite infestation on the main season of 2014 on potato at Haramaya district, field surveys were undertaken in August 2014 and 2015. The field surveys covered the districts Fedis, Grawa, Haramaya, Jarso, Kersa, Kombolcha and Meta of eastern Ethiopia. The 2014 result revealed that the pest was confined only in Haramaya district. A similar survey conducted in August 2015 revealed the geographic expansion of the pest to other areas of eastern Ethiopia, viz., Dire Dawa Administration, Kersa, Kombolcha and Fedis districts. The spider mite, which is commonly known as red spider mite, was identified as Tetranychus utricae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae). This is the first record of the pest infesting potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in Ethiopia. In addition to potato, the pest infested tomato, cucumber and other Solanaceous weeds growing within and around potato fields. It was observed that the pest causes quantitative crop damage by sucking the plant fluids. The pest develops very rapidly on potato plants causing quick leaf-fall and death of the infested plants. Farmers were unable to manage the pest with the conventional agricultural pesticides available on the local markets. This preliminary field survey warrants that the red spider mite would be a threat to potato production in Ethiopia unless apt research efforts are made and management strategies are developed to fight against this devastating pest.
Annales de la Société Entomologique de France , 2019
The genus Acrapex Hampson, 1891 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini, Sesamiina) constitu... more The genus Acrapex Hampson, 1891 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini, Sesamiina) constitutes a
speciose group of noctuid stemborers mostly distributed in the Afrotropics. In this study nine new Acrapex species are described:
Acrapex abyssinica n. sp., Acrapex dabaga n. sp., Acrapex jansei n. sp., Acrapex kifanya n. sp., Acrapex lusinga n. sp., Acrapex
ngwenya n. sp., Acrapex njombea n. sp., Acrapex vetiveria n. sp. and Acrapex zima n. sp. All species are assigned to the A.
albivena group with the exception of A. lusinga which is assigned to the A. stygiata group. We also provide supplemental
descriptions for two previously described species of the A. albivena group, A. punctosa Berio, 1973 and A. sysciodes, Berio, 1973,
and for one species belonging to the A. stygiata group: A. brunneella Le Ru, 2014. Host plants of three species are recorded; A.
brunneella and Acrapex jansei were reared on Cymbopogon pospischilii (K. Schum.) C. E. Hubb and A. vetiveria on Chrysopogon
zizanioides (L.).We also conductedmolecular phylogenetic analyses (using both Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood) on
a multi-marker (four mitochondrial and two nuclear genes) molecular dataset encompassing 138 specimens (including 98
specimens from the A. albivena group and 23 specimens from the A. stygiata group) from 48 stemborer species. The results of
the corresponding analyses support the monophyly of the two groups of interest and the species status of all newly described taxa,
except for A. lusinga that was not sequenced. The phylogenetic analyses also unravel several evolutionary lineages whose precise
status is pending because their DNAwas extracted from larval stages.
International Journal of Life Sciences , 2017
The study was conducted at the Plant Protection Laboratory of Haramaya University at a controlled... more The study was conducted at the Plant Protection Laboratory of Haramaya University at a controlled environment of 28±2 0 C and 75±5% R.H. The objectives were to determine the effective doses of neem seed powder, citrus peel powder and their oil extracts and to evaluate some improved varieties and land races of sorghum for their resistance to maize weevil. Treatments were arranged in CRD replicated four times. Fifty unsexed 3-6 days old maize weevil adults were introduced to each glass jar containing 0.1kg muyra-2 seed. In the first botanical study, neem seed and citrus peel oils each at five rates of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5 ml, Malathion 5% dust and acetone treated control were evaluated. The results indicated that, all of the parameters analyzed at all rates of the botanical oils showed significant difference over the acetone treated control except for F1 progeny emergence and weight loss at 0.25 ml NSO. The botanical oils at rates of 0.75, 1 and 1.5 ml NSO and 1.5 ml CPO per 100 g sorghum produced adult weevil mortality in the range of 91.25-100% and seed protection of 83-100% similar to that of the positive control. For the same botanical oil rates weevil emergence, seed damage and weight losses were statistically at par with Malathion 5% dust. However sorghum seeds treated with botanical oils showed significant reduction in germination compared to Malathion 5% dust. Further research on the botanical oils for long period of time under farmer's storage structure could be necessary.
African Crop Science Journal , 2018
Outbreak of two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, happened on potato (Solanum tubero... more Outbreak of two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, happened on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)
in eastern Ethiopia in 2014 and effective pesticides as part of IPM practice were sought from greenhouse and
laboratory experiments at Haramaya University, Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to identify pesticides
with the highest efficacy against the mite. Potatoes infested with mites were used in the efficacy trial. Treatments,
9 pesticides and a control, were applied 2 times at weekly intervals. Mites per leaf before and after each spray
were counted. Promising pesticides were further screened with leaf-disc spray, and dip methods. Adult mortality
was recorded after 24 and 48 hours. Chlorantrniliprole + Lambda-cyhalothrin, Amitraz, Profenofos, Profenofos
“Q” 720 g l-1, and Paraffin oil showed superior efficacy on eggs and mobile stages; though Paraffin’s efficacy
became clear 14 days later. Paraffin had the lowest mortality in leaf-disc sprays, but better mortality in the leafdisc
dip. This was attributed to complete wetting by the latter. Chlorantrniliprole + lambda-cyhalothrin,
Profenofos, Profenofos “Q” and Paraffin were identified as promising pesticides for the two spotted spider mite
management on potato.
Annales de la Société Entomologique de France , 2017
Five morphologically similar species of Acrapex Hampson (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apame... more Five morphologically similar species of Acrapex Hampson (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini),
from sub-Saharan Africa are reviewed, including four new species that are described: Acrapex mondogeneta Le Ru n. sp.,
A. mubale Le Ru n. sp., A. robe Le Ru n. sp. and A. rubona Le Ru n. sp. These five species belong to a species complex
that we hereby define as the Acrapex minima group. Host plants of three species are recorded; Acrapex minima is recorded
for the first time on a host plant, Digitaria natalensis Stent; A. mondogeneta on Hyparrhenia hirta (L.) Stapf and A. rubona
on Imperata cylindrica (L.) P. Beauv. We also conducted molecular phylogenetics (using both Bayesian inference and
maximum likelihood) and molecular species delimitation analyses (Poisson tree processes) on a six gene multi-marker
dataset (four mitochondrial and two nuclear gene fragments; 4582 nucleotides in length) of 42 specimens and 22 species,
including 23 specimens from the Acrapex minima group. The results of the corresponding analyses support the monophyly
of the group and the species status of the newly described taxa.
Pest Management Journal of Ethiopia, 2016
The study was conducted at the Plant Protection Laboratory of Haramaya University in a controlled... more The study was conducted at the Plant Protection Laboratory of Haramaya University in a controlled environment of 28±2 0 C temperature and 75±5% relative humidity. The objective was to determine the effective doses of Azadirachta indica and Citrus sinensis peel powder for the management of Sitophilus zeamais. The treatments were arranged in completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications. Fifty unsexed 3-6 days old maize weevil adults were introduced to each glass jar containing 1 kg Sorghum bicolor (L.), variety muyra-2 seeds. Neem seed and citrus peel powder were compared with Ethiolathion 5% dust and untreated control at the rate of 7.5, 15, 25, 50 and 100 g kg-1 of seeds. Parent adult maize weevil mortality, F 1 progeny emergence and percent protection, grain weight loss, damage and germination at all rates of citrus peel powder (CPP) and neem seed powder (NSP) showed significant differences over the untreated control (P<0.01), except for grain damage (%) at 7.5 g CPP (P>0.01). At the rate of 25, 50 and 100 g both test botanicals resulted in 100% adult weevil mortality, 95-100% grain protection, reduced weevil emergence, reduced grain damage, reduced grain weight losses and produced statistically comparable efficacy with Ethiolathion 5% dust (P<0.01). NSP at 7.5 and 15 g and all rates of CPP did not reduce grain germination rate, whereas at higher rate of 25-100 g NSP statistically decreased germination of the treated grains (P<0.01). Further research is warranted to assess efficacy of these botanicals under farmer's storage condition.
Lepidopteran stemborers are amongst the most important insect pests of maize, sorghum and sugarca... more Lepidopteran stemborers are amongst the most important insect pests of maize, sorghum and sugarcane in sub-Saharan Africa. With the exception of Chilo partellus (Swinhoe), which was accidentally introduced into Africa, the other stemborer pests are indigenous to the continent and have co-evolved with native grasses and sedges. In addition to pest species, wild habitats harbour diverse non-economic stemborer species, some of which are new to science. However, the diversity and distribution of both non-economic and pest species of stemborer are currently mostly unknown in Botswana. Accordingly, country-wide surveys were conducted during 2014/15 and 2015/16 austral summer to determine species diversity and distribution in cultivated and wild host plants of stemborers in Botswana. A total of 1597 stemborer larvae and 228 pupae were collected, constituting 63.1 and 36.9 larvae and 84.8 and 15.2% pupae from cultivated versus wild habitats, respectively. In addition to C. partellus, Sesamia calamistis Hampson and Eldana saccharina Walker which were previously reported, 12 more stemborer species were recorded for the first time in Botswana, including nine undescribed species. These species were from the Sciomesa, Sesamia and Conicofrontia genera and Tortricidae and Pyralidae families. Fourteen wild host and two cultivated host plant species of stemborers were recorded. Chilo partellus was most abundant (89.5%) in cultivated habitats whilst E. saccharina (33.6%) was most abundant in wild habitats. Stemborer species diversity was higher in wild habitats than cultivated. Current results highlight the significance of wild, especially wetland habitats for ecological functions and conservation of lepidopteran stemborer biodiversity.
Phytoparasitica, 2017
Valid identification of a novel pest species and clarifying its origin are the primary steps in u... more Valid identification of a novel pest species and clarifying its origin are the primary steps in understanding population structure and development of biocontrol programs. In this study geographical populations of Conicofrontia sesamoides Hampson (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) collected during surveys conducted in the years 2009, 2014 and 2015 were morphologically identified and their genetic diversity was analysed by using sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome-c oxidase I (COI) gene in an attempt to examine host plant, or/and altitude associated differences among populations and determine the source of the newly recorded population of this species in the South African sugarcane. The C. sesamoides specimens in this study were collected from Miscanthus capensis (Nees) (Poaceae) and sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) (Poaceae) in Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces of South Africa. Analysis of Molecular Variance showed a moderate to highly significant genetic differentiation between C. sesamoides populations from different host plants (FST = 0.115, p = 0.14) and altitudinal range (FST = 0.159, p = 0.18). This result was however, contradictory to outcomes of phylogenetic analyses, haplotype networking and uncorrected sequence divergence (0.0–1.54%) which revealed no detectable genetic differentiation between populations from different host plants and altitudes. As it is difficult to measure FST accurately without a large data set, the very small sample used in the analysis might have resulted in inflation of the FST value in this study. After evaluation of the results, it was concluded that the sugarcane population of C. sesamoideshas originated from the population residing in wild host plants in the Eastern Cape and/or KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa. Possible reasons for the host plant expansion and its implications to commercial sugarcane production in the country are discussed.
Artilce, 2018
The genus Spodoptera Guenée (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae, Noctuinae) is a group of economic importance... more The genus Spodoptera Guenée (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae, Noctuinae) is a group of economic importance which
encompasses several major pests of crops worldwide. Although this genus has been the focus of many studies, the status
of several Spodoptera species is still unstable, especially in the light of recent molecular analyses. In 2015 five Spodoptera
specimens collected in Ethiopia were first identified as S. apertura (Walker). However, preliminary studies suggested that
these specimens belong to a distinct species, S. teferii Laporte in Rougeot, which has been previously synonymized with
S. apertura. In this study, on the basis of morphological and molecular evidence, we re-establish the species status of S.
teferii. We provide a supplemental description of S. teferii male and the first description of S. teferii female. We also
conducted several molecular analyses. First, we reconstructed an updated phylogeny for the genus based on a multilocus
dataset (four mitochondrial and three nuclear gene fragments) including S. teferii and 28 of the 31 currently recognized
Spodoptera species; the results of phylogenetic analyses support the hypothesis that S. teferii is more closely related to the
clade encompassing S. littoralis (Boisduval), S. litura (Fabricius), S. pectinicornis (Hampson) and S. picta (Guérin-
Méneville) than to S. apertura. Second, we carried out molecular species delimitation analyses on a 683-specimen dataset
that also clearly support the status of S. teferii as a species distinct to S. apertura.
Article, 2019
Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefèbvre) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a widespread insect pest in Africa, ... more Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefèbvre) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a widespread insect pest in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. However, its pest status varies across its distribution range. It is a major pest of maize in Europe and of sugarcane in Iran. In Africa, it is a major pest of maize in West Africa but not considered as a pest in East Africa. Recent surveys conducted in 2015 recorded S. nonagrioides to be a major pest of sugarcane in Ethiopia and reported the species for the first time in Botswana, outside its known geographic range. The genetic relationship of these records with the previously recorded population of S. nonagrioides was investigated using the cytochrome oxidase subunit I region of the mitochondrial genome. In total, 113 individuals across the geographic range of the species were analyzed and 63 haplotypes were identified. Phylogenetic analysis separated the populations into two clades with no distinct geographic distribution pattern. The genetic differentiation was also not associated with host plants and geographic distances. Results of the molecular analysis revealed the long-time establishment of S. nonagrioides population in Botswana and identified the newly recorded sugarcane population from Ethiopia as part of the wild host population in the country. The phylogeographic patterns observed among population of S. nonagrioides have probably been shaped by Pleistocene's climatic oscillations and geographic range expansions from different refugia with secondary contact and admixture. Possible reasons for the host-plant expansion by the Ethiopian population are discussed.
Article, 2016
The greater sugarcane borer, Sesamia cretica Lederer (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an important pes... more The greater sugarcane borer, Sesamia cretica Lederer (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an important pest of maize, sorghum and sugarcane in Africa, the Middle East, and Mediterranean Europe. However, the population genetics and phylogeography of this pest are unknown. Some insect pests exhibit genetic differentiation congruent with their geographical location and ecological conditions. To evaluate this, a molecular analysis was conducted on populations of S. cretica collected from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Cameroon and Iran, using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) region of the mitochondrial genome. Phylogenetic analyses based on neighbor joining tree separated the 22 specimens into two clades, the Ethiopian and Afro-Asian. The clades diverged long before the domestication of sorghum and the introduction of sugarcane in Africa. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated significant …
Article, 2018
Lepidopteran stem borers are among the most important insect pests of maize, sorghum and sugarcan... more Lepidopteran stem borers are among the most important insect pests of maize, sorghum and sugarcane in sub‐Saharan Africa. Except for Chilo partellus, the other stem borer pests in Ethiopia are indigenous to Africa and are assumed to have coevolved with some native grasses and sedges in the natural habitat. In addition to pest species, natural habitats harbour diverse non‐economic stem borer species, some of which are new to science. However, with the growing threats to natural habitats, some non‐economic stem borer species may switch or expand their host ranges to include cultivated crops and evolve as “new” pests. Besides host switch, some of the unknown species currently limited to natural habitats may disappear. We examined the diversity, abundance and interactions of lepidopteran stem borers and their wild host plants in five different vegetation mosaics in Ethiopia. The stem borer species diversity varied among vegetation mosaics and host plants. Forty‐four stem borer species belonging to 14 different genera in the families of Noctuidae, Crambidae, Pyralidae and Tortricidae were recorded from 34 wild host plants and through light trap. Among these families, Noctuidae was the highest in species richness in which 31 species were identified, out of which 15 species and two genera were new to science. This paper discusses the ecological interpretation of host plant–stem borer species interactions, particularly in relation to habitat disturbances.
Article, 2017
In eastern Ethiopia, empirical information regarding farmers’ perceptions and implementation of r... more In eastern Ethiopia, empirical information regarding farmers’ perceptions and implementation of research results about stem borer management is either scarce or unavailable. A survey of 120 farmers from four maize- and sorghum-growing districts of eastern Ethiopia was carried out in 2014 to study common management practices of cereal stem borers. Drought, pests, and land shortage were reported as the main constraints to maize and sorghum production in the area. Stem borers were perceived as the most important pests in these crops. The estimated yield losses from stem borers ranged from 10% to 50%. The majority of the farmers reported not using chemical insecticides to control these pests due to lack of capital, unavailability, and lack of knowledge. Moreover, most farmers were not using improved maize varieties. Cultural practices were found to be the most promising control method of cereal stem borers. Despite differences among districts, farmers practiced crop rotation, intercropping, manipulation of planting dates, crop residue disposal, and post-harvest tillage as common control strategies, even though a considerable proportion of the farmers was not implementing these practices sufficiently. The design of appropriate strategies for stem borer management based on farmers’ needs and priorities should be promoted.
Lepidopteran stem-borers in Africa are attacked by diverse natural enemies in natural and cultiva... more Lepidopteran stem-borers in Africa are attacked by diverse natural enemies in natural and cultivated environments. Field surveys of stem-borer natural enemies and associated host plants were conducted during the austral summers of 2014/15 and 2015/16 on natural and cultivated habitats across Botswana to determine their diversity and relative abundance. In cultivated habitats, the most common parasitoids of larvae were Cotesia flavipes Cameron, C. sesamiae (Cameron), and of pupae, Pediobius furvus Gahan and Gambroides nimbipennis Seyrig. In natural habitats, the larval parasitoids Chelonus curvimaculatus Cameron and Goniozus indicus Ashmead were recorded, along with the pupal parasitoid, Dentichasmias busseolae Heinrich. Furthermore, the predatory ants Linepithema humile Mayr, Crematogaster peringueyi Emery and Aenictus species were recorded in both cultivated and natural habitats. The major cultivated plants hosting stem-borers and related natural enemies were maize, sorghum, sweet sorghum, and the major wild plants were Echinochloa pyramidalis, Typha latifolia, Schoenoplectus corymbosus and Cyperus dives. Chilo partellus Swinhoe and Sesamia spp. were the major hosts for parasitoids, with C. partellus predominating in cultivated habitats and Sesamia jansei Tams & Bowden in natural habitats. Larval parasitism ranged from 2.1 to 34.7% and 3.3 to 14.3% in cultivated and natural habitats respectively, whereas pupal parasitism ranged from 6.1 to 10.6% and 6.7 to 9.1%, respectively. Parasitoid percentage abundance ranged from 1.1 to 41.6% and 4.8 to 38.1% in cultivated and natural habitats respectively, with C. flavipes dominating in cultivated and C. curvimaculatus in natural habitats. Our results show that cultivated and natural environments in Botswana harbor a diverse natural enemy community worthy of conserving for stem-borer biological control.
Keywords
Biological controlParasitoidsPredatorsPest managementTritrophic interaction
Plant-parasitic nematodes have received little research attention in the tropics particularly in ... more Plant-parasitic nematodes have received little research attention in the tropics particularly in sub-Saharan Africa as compared to temperate countries. Despite the daily use and consumption of khat (Catha edulis Forsk) by millions of people across Ethiopia and other countries, very little is known about the associated plant-parasitic nematodes. Consequently, this survey was initiated to study the occurrence, distribution, and abundance of plant-parasitic nematodes associated with C. edulis in East Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia. A total of 300 composite
soil and root samples (150 each) were collected from 15 major khat-growing districts in East Hararghe Zone during the 2013/14 growing season. This survey documented eight plant-parasitic nematode genera: Criconema spp., Helicotylenchus spp., Hemicyclophora spp., Longidorus spp., Meloidogyne spp., Paratylenchus spp., Pratylenchus spp., and Rotylenchulus spp. associated with khat crop. Among these, Pratylenchus, Meloidogyne, Helicotylenchus, and Longidorus were the most frequently encountered and abundant plant-parasitic nematode
genera with 80, 60, 53.3, and 46.6% frequency of occurrence from soil, respectively. This diversity could be attributed to the cropping pattern of khat, which is mostly intercropped with solanaceous and other vegetables (mainly tomato, pepper, cabbage, potato, and sweet potato), cereals (mainly maize and sorghum), and groundnut by Hararghe farmers. These findings suggest that producers need to monitor and carefully select their cropping pattern. Furthermore, research should focus on the damage potential of these nematode species on khat crop
performance to determine the economic threshold level and estimate a cost-benefit analysis on management practices.
Key words: abundance, cropping pattern, distribution, khat, occurrence, prominence value.
![Research paper thumbnail of Occurrence and Population Dynamics of Tomato Leaf Miner [Tuta absoluta] in Eastern Ethiopia.pdf](https://attachments.academia-assets.com/50660928/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Abstract: The dangerous tomato leaf miner pest (Tuta absoluta), which was reported to have crosse... more Abstract: The dangerous tomato leaf miner pest (Tuta absoluta), which was reported to have crossed into Ethiopia via the Sudan in 2012, has scared tomato producing farmers across the country. Therefore, a study was conducted using pheromone traps to elucidate the occurrence of the insect pest and to monitor its population build-up in eastern Ethiopia. Pheromone traps were placed in the greenhouse for two months February - March 2014) and in the open-field tomato crops for one week
to monitor the tomato leaf miner moth. Examination of the traps was carried out at seven-day intervals, and the dispenser was replaced every 15 days. There was a linear increment in the number of captured moths during the surveyed time both in the greenhouse and in the open-field tomato crops. The number of moths captured ranged from 27 – 47 and 103 – 255 in the open-field and in the greenhouse, respectively. Thus, based on the examination of the traps, the presence of Tuta absoluta
was confirmed for the first time in eastern Ethiopia. In the greenhouse, the larvae of the tomato leaf
miner inflicted a heavy damage on young tomato plants. As a result, young plants died before
flowering. The results of the study have revealed that the pest is likely to cause heavy losses in tomato
crops on an unprecedented scale in the Eastern part of the country. Therefore, monitoring the pest in all tomato producing regions of the country is a vital step towards early detection and decision-making
to take integrated management measures against the outbreak of the infestation.
Keywords: Larvae; Leaf Miner; Moth; Pheromone Trap; Population Dynamics; Pupation; Tomato;
Tuta absoluta
Motsch. is one of the most important pests of sorghum in storage causing severe economic damage t... more Motsch. is one of the most important pests of sorghum in storage causing severe economic damage to the grain. Twenty-one sorghum varieties obtained from Haramaya University Sorghum Improvement Research Program were investigated for their relative resistance to S. zeamais attack. The Dobie index of susceptibility was used to group the varieties into different reaction categories. Among the twenty one sorghum varieties evaluated, only one variety, 'WB-77', was regarded as resistant to the weevil. All the remaining varieties were categorized as moderately resistant. Weevils reared on the resistant variety produced a few number of F 1 progeny (20.00), had a high median developmental time (42.00 days) and a low percentage of seed damage (2.67) and seed weight loss (0.30). Percentage seed damage and weight loss are significantly and positively correlated with the mean number of F 1 progeny emergence and are inversely associated with median developmental time. Consequently, those varieties with high number of F 1 progeny scored high percentage of seed damage and weight loss. These results indicated that high lysine content was found to be the predominant factor in sorghum resistance to S. zeamais.
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Papers by Muluken Goftishu
Sesamiina), from Western, Central and Eastern Africa are reviewed. Eight of these species are new to science and are described:
Acrapex akunamatata n. sp. and A. incrassata n. sp. from Kenya; A. gracilis n. sp., A. iringa n. sp., A. lukumbura n. sp. and A.
rungwe n. sp. from Tanzania; A. soyema n. sp. from Ethiopia; and A. zoutoi n. sp. from Benin. All 12 species belong to a species
complex that we hereby define as the Acrapex apicestriata group. Host-plants for three of the new species are recorded: Setaria
incrassata (Hochst.) Hack. for Acrapex incrassata; Cymbopogon pospishilii (K. Schum.) C.E. Hubb. for A. rungwe; and
Andropogon perligulatus Stapf. for A. zoutoi. We also conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses (using maximum likelihood
and Bayesian inference) on a six gene multimarker molecular dataset (four mitochondrial and two nuclear gene fragments; 4581
nucleotides in length) consisting of 15 Acrapex species (including seven species from the apicestriata group) and four outgroups
species from the subtribe Sesamiina (from genera Busseola Thurau 1904, Sciomesa Tams & Bowden 1953, Pirateolea Moyal, Le
Ru, Conlong, Cugala, Defabachew, Matama-Kauma, Pallangyo & Van den Berg 2010 and Sesamia Boisduval & Guenée 1852).
Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses yield a similar and well-supported topology, which supports the
monophyly of the apicestriata group.
speciose group of noctuid stemborers mostly distributed in the Afrotropics. In this study nine new Acrapex species are described:
Acrapex abyssinica n. sp., Acrapex dabaga n. sp., Acrapex jansei n. sp., Acrapex kifanya n. sp., Acrapex lusinga n. sp., Acrapex
ngwenya n. sp., Acrapex njombea n. sp., Acrapex vetiveria n. sp. and Acrapex zima n. sp. All species are assigned to the A.
albivena group with the exception of A. lusinga which is assigned to the A. stygiata group. We also provide supplemental
descriptions for two previously described species of the A. albivena group, A. punctosa Berio, 1973 and A. sysciodes, Berio, 1973,
and for one species belonging to the A. stygiata group: A. brunneella Le Ru, 2014. Host plants of three species are recorded; A.
brunneella and Acrapex jansei were reared on Cymbopogon pospischilii (K. Schum.) C. E. Hubb and A. vetiveria on Chrysopogon
zizanioides (L.).We also conductedmolecular phylogenetic analyses (using both Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood) on
a multi-marker (four mitochondrial and two nuclear genes) molecular dataset encompassing 138 specimens (including 98
specimens from the A. albivena group and 23 specimens from the A. stygiata group) from 48 stemborer species. The results of
the corresponding analyses support the monophyly of the two groups of interest and the species status of all newly described taxa,
except for A. lusinga that was not sequenced. The phylogenetic analyses also unravel several evolutionary lineages whose precise
status is pending because their DNAwas extracted from larval stages.
in eastern Ethiopia in 2014 and effective pesticides as part of IPM practice were sought from greenhouse and
laboratory experiments at Haramaya University, Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to identify pesticides
with the highest efficacy against the mite. Potatoes infested with mites were used in the efficacy trial. Treatments,
9 pesticides and a control, were applied 2 times at weekly intervals. Mites per leaf before and after each spray
were counted. Promising pesticides were further screened with leaf-disc spray, and dip methods. Adult mortality
was recorded after 24 and 48 hours. Chlorantrniliprole + Lambda-cyhalothrin, Amitraz, Profenofos, Profenofos
“Q” 720 g l-1, and Paraffin oil showed superior efficacy on eggs and mobile stages; though Paraffin’s efficacy
became clear 14 days later. Paraffin had the lowest mortality in leaf-disc sprays, but better mortality in the leafdisc
dip. This was attributed to complete wetting by the latter. Chlorantrniliprole + lambda-cyhalothrin,
Profenofos, Profenofos “Q” and Paraffin were identified as promising pesticides for the two spotted spider mite
management on potato.
from sub-Saharan Africa are reviewed, including four new species that are described: Acrapex mondogeneta Le Ru n. sp.,
A. mubale Le Ru n. sp., A. robe Le Ru n. sp. and A. rubona Le Ru n. sp. These five species belong to a species complex
that we hereby define as the Acrapex minima group. Host plants of three species are recorded; Acrapex minima is recorded
for the first time on a host plant, Digitaria natalensis Stent; A. mondogeneta on Hyparrhenia hirta (L.) Stapf and A. rubona
on Imperata cylindrica (L.) P. Beauv. We also conducted molecular phylogenetics (using both Bayesian inference and
maximum likelihood) and molecular species delimitation analyses (Poisson tree processes) on a six gene multi-marker
dataset (four mitochondrial and two nuclear gene fragments; 4582 nucleotides in length) of 42 specimens and 22 species,
including 23 specimens from the Acrapex minima group. The results of the corresponding analyses support the monophyly
of the group and the species status of the newly described taxa.
encompasses several major pests of crops worldwide. Although this genus has been the focus of many studies, the status
of several Spodoptera species is still unstable, especially in the light of recent molecular analyses. In 2015 five Spodoptera
specimens collected in Ethiopia were first identified as S. apertura (Walker). However, preliminary studies suggested that
these specimens belong to a distinct species, S. teferii Laporte in Rougeot, which has been previously synonymized with
S. apertura. In this study, on the basis of morphological and molecular evidence, we re-establish the species status of S.
teferii. We provide a supplemental description of S. teferii male and the first description of S. teferii female. We also
conducted several molecular analyses. First, we reconstructed an updated phylogeny for the genus based on a multilocus
dataset (four mitochondrial and three nuclear gene fragments) including S. teferii and 28 of the 31 currently recognized
Spodoptera species; the results of phylogenetic analyses support the hypothesis that S. teferii is more closely related to the
clade encompassing S. littoralis (Boisduval), S. litura (Fabricius), S. pectinicornis (Hampson) and S. picta (Guérin-
Méneville) than to S. apertura. Second, we carried out molecular species delimitation analyses on a 683-specimen dataset
that also clearly support the status of S. teferii as a species distinct to S. apertura.
Keywords
Biological controlParasitoidsPredatorsPest managementTritrophic interaction
soil and root samples (150 each) were collected from 15 major khat-growing districts in East Hararghe Zone during the 2013/14 growing season. This survey documented eight plant-parasitic nematode genera: Criconema spp., Helicotylenchus spp., Hemicyclophora spp., Longidorus spp., Meloidogyne spp., Paratylenchus spp., Pratylenchus spp., and Rotylenchulus spp. associated with khat crop. Among these, Pratylenchus, Meloidogyne, Helicotylenchus, and Longidorus were the most frequently encountered and abundant plant-parasitic nematode
genera with 80, 60, 53.3, and 46.6% frequency of occurrence from soil, respectively. This diversity could be attributed to the cropping pattern of khat, which is mostly intercropped with solanaceous and other vegetables (mainly tomato, pepper, cabbage, potato, and sweet potato), cereals (mainly maize and sorghum), and groundnut by Hararghe farmers. These findings suggest that producers need to monitor and carefully select their cropping pattern. Furthermore, research should focus on the damage potential of these nematode species on khat crop
performance to determine the economic threshold level and estimate a cost-benefit analysis on management practices.
Key words: abundance, cropping pattern, distribution, khat, occurrence, prominence value.
to monitor the tomato leaf miner moth. Examination of the traps was carried out at seven-day intervals, and the dispenser was replaced every 15 days. There was a linear increment in the number of captured moths during the surveyed time both in the greenhouse and in the open-field tomato crops. The number of moths captured ranged from 27 – 47 and 103 – 255 in the open-field and in the greenhouse, respectively. Thus, based on the examination of the traps, the presence of Tuta absoluta
was confirmed for the first time in eastern Ethiopia. In the greenhouse, the larvae of the tomato leaf
miner inflicted a heavy damage on young tomato plants. As a result, young plants died before
flowering. The results of the study have revealed that the pest is likely to cause heavy losses in tomato
crops on an unprecedented scale in the Eastern part of the country. Therefore, monitoring the pest in all tomato producing regions of the country is a vital step towards early detection and decision-making
to take integrated management measures against the outbreak of the infestation.
Keywords: Larvae; Leaf Miner; Moth; Pheromone Trap; Population Dynamics; Pupation; Tomato;
Tuta absoluta
Sesamiina), from Western, Central and Eastern Africa are reviewed. Eight of these species are new to science and are described:
Acrapex akunamatata n. sp. and A. incrassata n. sp. from Kenya; A. gracilis n. sp., A. iringa n. sp., A. lukumbura n. sp. and A.
rungwe n. sp. from Tanzania; A. soyema n. sp. from Ethiopia; and A. zoutoi n. sp. from Benin. All 12 species belong to a species
complex that we hereby define as the Acrapex apicestriata group. Host-plants for three of the new species are recorded: Setaria
incrassata (Hochst.) Hack. for Acrapex incrassata; Cymbopogon pospishilii (K. Schum.) C.E. Hubb. for A. rungwe; and
Andropogon perligulatus Stapf. for A. zoutoi. We also conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses (using maximum likelihood
and Bayesian inference) on a six gene multimarker molecular dataset (four mitochondrial and two nuclear gene fragments; 4581
nucleotides in length) consisting of 15 Acrapex species (including seven species from the apicestriata group) and four outgroups
species from the subtribe Sesamiina (from genera Busseola Thurau 1904, Sciomesa Tams & Bowden 1953, Pirateolea Moyal, Le
Ru, Conlong, Cugala, Defabachew, Matama-Kauma, Pallangyo & Van den Berg 2010 and Sesamia Boisduval & Guenée 1852).
Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses yield a similar and well-supported topology, which supports the
monophyly of the apicestriata group.
speciose group of noctuid stemborers mostly distributed in the Afrotropics. In this study nine new Acrapex species are described:
Acrapex abyssinica n. sp., Acrapex dabaga n. sp., Acrapex jansei n. sp., Acrapex kifanya n. sp., Acrapex lusinga n. sp., Acrapex
ngwenya n. sp., Acrapex njombea n. sp., Acrapex vetiveria n. sp. and Acrapex zima n. sp. All species are assigned to the A.
albivena group with the exception of A. lusinga which is assigned to the A. stygiata group. We also provide supplemental
descriptions for two previously described species of the A. albivena group, A. punctosa Berio, 1973 and A. sysciodes, Berio, 1973,
and for one species belonging to the A. stygiata group: A. brunneella Le Ru, 2014. Host plants of three species are recorded; A.
brunneella and Acrapex jansei were reared on Cymbopogon pospischilii (K. Schum.) C. E. Hubb and A. vetiveria on Chrysopogon
zizanioides (L.).We also conductedmolecular phylogenetic analyses (using both Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood) on
a multi-marker (four mitochondrial and two nuclear genes) molecular dataset encompassing 138 specimens (including 98
specimens from the A. albivena group and 23 specimens from the A. stygiata group) from 48 stemborer species. The results of
the corresponding analyses support the monophyly of the two groups of interest and the species status of all newly described taxa,
except for A. lusinga that was not sequenced. The phylogenetic analyses also unravel several evolutionary lineages whose precise
status is pending because their DNAwas extracted from larval stages.
in eastern Ethiopia in 2014 and effective pesticides as part of IPM practice were sought from greenhouse and
laboratory experiments at Haramaya University, Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to identify pesticides
with the highest efficacy against the mite. Potatoes infested with mites were used in the efficacy trial. Treatments,
9 pesticides and a control, were applied 2 times at weekly intervals. Mites per leaf before and after each spray
were counted. Promising pesticides were further screened with leaf-disc spray, and dip methods. Adult mortality
was recorded after 24 and 48 hours. Chlorantrniliprole + Lambda-cyhalothrin, Amitraz, Profenofos, Profenofos
“Q” 720 g l-1, and Paraffin oil showed superior efficacy on eggs and mobile stages; though Paraffin’s efficacy
became clear 14 days later. Paraffin had the lowest mortality in leaf-disc sprays, but better mortality in the leafdisc
dip. This was attributed to complete wetting by the latter. Chlorantrniliprole + lambda-cyhalothrin,
Profenofos, Profenofos “Q” and Paraffin were identified as promising pesticides for the two spotted spider mite
management on potato.
from sub-Saharan Africa are reviewed, including four new species that are described: Acrapex mondogeneta Le Ru n. sp.,
A. mubale Le Ru n. sp., A. robe Le Ru n. sp. and A. rubona Le Ru n. sp. These five species belong to a species complex
that we hereby define as the Acrapex minima group. Host plants of three species are recorded; Acrapex minima is recorded
for the first time on a host plant, Digitaria natalensis Stent; A. mondogeneta on Hyparrhenia hirta (L.) Stapf and A. rubona
on Imperata cylindrica (L.) P. Beauv. We also conducted molecular phylogenetics (using both Bayesian inference and
maximum likelihood) and molecular species delimitation analyses (Poisson tree processes) on a six gene multi-marker
dataset (four mitochondrial and two nuclear gene fragments; 4582 nucleotides in length) of 42 specimens and 22 species,
including 23 specimens from the Acrapex minima group. The results of the corresponding analyses support the monophyly
of the group and the species status of the newly described taxa.
encompasses several major pests of crops worldwide. Although this genus has been the focus of many studies, the status
of several Spodoptera species is still unstable, especially in the light of recent molecular analyses. In 2015 five Spodoptera
specimens collected in Ethiopia were first identified as S. apertura (Walker). However, preliminary studies suggested that
these specimens belong to a distinct species, S. teferii Laporte in Rougeot, which has been previously synonymized with
S. apertura. In this study, on the basis of morphological and molecular evidence, we re-establish the species status of S.
teferii. We provide a supplemental description of S. teferii male and the first description of S. teferii female. We also
conducted several molecular analyses. First, we reconstructed an updated phylogeny for the genus based on a multilocus
dataset (four mitochondrial and three nuclear gene fragments) including S. teferii and 28 of the 31 currently recognized
Spodoptera species; the results of phylogenetic analyses support the hypothesis that S. teferii is more closely related to the
clade encompassing S. littoralis (Boisduval), S. litura (Fabricius), S. pectinicornis (Hampson) and S. picta (Guérin-
Méneville) than to S. apertura. Second, we carried out molecular species delimitation analyses on a 683-specimen dataset
that also clearly support the status of S. teferii as a species distinct to S. apertura.
Keywords
Biological controlParasitoidsPredatorsPest managementTritrophic interaction
soil and root samples (150 each) were collected from 15 major khat-growing districts in East Hararghe Zone during the 2013/14 growing season. This survey documented eight plant-parasitic nematode genera: Criconema spp., Helicotylenchus spp., Hemicyclophora spp., Longidorus spp., Meloidogyne spp., Paratylenchus spp., Pratylenchus spp., and Rotylenchulus spp. associated with khat crop. Among these, Pratylenchus, Meloidogyne, Helicotylenchus, and Longidorus were the most frequently encountered and abundant plant-parasitic nematode
genera with 80, 60, 53.3, and 46.6% frequency of occurrence from soil, respectively. This diversity could be attributed to the cropping pattern of khat, which is mostly intercropped with solanaceous and other vegetables (mainly tomato, pepper, cabbage, potato, and sweet potato), cereals (mainly maize and sorghum), and groundnut by Hararghe farmers. These findings suggest that producers need to monitor and carefully select their cropping pattern. Furthermore, research should focus on the damage potential of these nematode species on khat crop
performance to determine the economic threshold level and estimate a cost-benefit analysis on management practices.
Key words: abundance, cropping pattern, distribution, khat, occurrence, prominence value.
to monitor the tomato leaf miner moth. Examination of the traps was carried out at seven-day intervals, and the dispenser was replaced every 15 days. There was a linear increment in the number of captured moths during the surveyed time both in the greenhouse and in the open-field tomato crops. The number of moths captured ranged from 27 – 47 and 103 – 255 in the open-field and in the greenhouse, respectively. Thus, based on the examination of the traps, the presence of Tuta absoluta
was confirmed for the first time in eastern Ethiopia. In the greenhouse, the larvae of the tomato leaf
miner inflicted a heavy damage on young tomato plants. As a result, young plants died before
flowering. The results of the study have revealed that the pest is likely to cause heavy losses in tomato
crops on an unprecedented scale in the Eastern part of the country. Therefore, monitoring the pest in all tomato producing regions of the country is a vital step towards early detection and decision-making
to take integrated management measures against the outbreak of the infestation.
Keywords: Larvae; Leaf Miner; Moth; Pheromone Trap; Population Dynamics; Pupation; Tomato;
Tuta absoluta
Since the occurrence of FAW in Africa, synthetic chemical insecticides have been widely used as emergency responses to halt distribution of the pest and minimize damage in maize fields. Most smallholder farmers in Africa and Asia, however, cannot afford frequent insecticide applications. Furthermore, dependence on chemical insecticides results in the development of resistance to major classes of insecticides, effects on nontarget organisms, as well as other adverse effects to humans and the environment. This highlights the need for the development of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that are suitable to African smallholder farmers.
Biological control using egg parasitoids particularly from the genus Trichogramma and Telenomus remus is part of the IPM approach presently underway to control FAW in North and South America. The approach involves mass rearing and release of these egg parasitoids to control FAW. These egg parasitoids are reared on factitious and natural hosts. Various species of both parasitoids are already present in Africa. After identifying the species/strain that best suit the local condition, the parasitoid wasps can be mass reared and used against FAW and other lepidopteran pests. Therefore, the purpose of this book is to provide guidelines on mass rearing systems for both the egg parasitoids and their hosts. The book describes the methods used to mass produce FAW (S. frugiperda), rice meal moth (Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton), Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), egg parasitoids - (Trichogramma chilonis Ishii, Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) and (Telenomus remus Nixon, Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) in the facilities at icipe- Kenya and ICRISAT-Niger.
This guide is primarily intended for biological control practitioners at universities, research institutes and commercial laboratories particularly involved in managing FAW and other lepidopteran pests. The information in this document is also intended to assist those who are relatively new at rearing FAW, rice meal moth, and the parasitoid wasps and to those who wish to improve existing rearing systems. The document covers virtually all aspects of information on the rearing techniques of each species such as colony establishment, stock culture maintenance, diet preparation, mass rearing, storage, quality control and field release. Each section is interrelated, contains step-by-step procedures, and is supported by colour pictures.
The guide produced jointly by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Haramaya University, and Virginia Tech through support provided by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Integrated Pest Management, funded by the of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Cooperative Agreement No. AID-OAA-L-15-00001.