Uganda IPM project 01: Biocontrol of cereals stem borers

Project Duration: Three Years (2002 – 2005)

Purpose of the project: To integrate sustainable use of cereals stem borer natural enemies in the rural farming system to improve cereal yield and sustain a healthy environment and biodiversity

Background/description: Cereals – maize and sorghum are important food and cash crops in Uganda. Maize has become one of the most important non-traditional cash crops in Uganda and is equally important as a food crop. A number of production constrains still reduce the exploitation of maximum production of the crop per unit area, chief among the constrains is a complex of stem borers (Busseola fusca, Eldana saccharina, and Chilo partellus). Recently, scientists the world over have developed packages that can be integrated easily among the rural farming systems to alleviate some of the constrains. To this end, a collaborative project between ICIPE and NARO was developed to promote use of some of the available technologies like Habitat Management, release and monitoring of stem borer parasitoids (Cotesia flavipes and Xanthopimpla stemmator (especially for C.partellus).

Agro-ecological zone(s) and location(s): Tropical and Semi Tropical (Savannah) maize growing zones of Uganda

Expected outputs: (a) Wild grasses eg Elephant grass that are preferred by stem borers can be integrated to ‘Pull’ the pests from cultivated cereals (Habitat Management). (b) Exotic natural enemies including C. flavipes and X. stemmator widely distributed, established and assessed to control damage attributed to stem borers. (c) Farmers are sensitized on the performance of natural enemies in farmer s cropping system. (b) Manpower development through post graduate training

Potential impact and beneficiaries: Traditional farmers will benefit through improved cereals yield through integrated control of stem borers. This will ultimately improve food security and cash income to farmers. Farmers will gain knowledge in the performance of biocontrol agents in their cropping system. At least two undergraduates will complete training and one Masters and one Doctoral students will graduate during the period of the project

Partners: NARO, Makerere University, ICIPE and Wageningen Agricultural University

Development investor(s): The Royal Dutch Government

Project ontact person(s)/principal investigator(s): J.A. Ogwang