IITA IPM project 03: Combating the maize cob borer Mussidia nigrivenella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

Duration: 2 years (2003 to 2005)

Purpose: To develop and test management options against one of the major maize arthropod pests, the maize cob borer Mussidia nigrivenella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

Background/description: Maize is an important component of the farming systems and the diet of many people, and is increasing in importance as it expands into the drier savanna zones. However, the stability of maize production in West Africa is limited, among others, by cob boring pests. Yield losses in areas prone to pest outbreaks are in the range of 20-40%. The problem is particularly acute in the small-scale, resource-poor systems under which maize is typically produced in this region. Also, grain damage by lepidopterous borers predisposes maize to pre- and post-harvest infestations by storage beetles and infections by mycotoxin-producing moulds. An integrated pest management approach focusing of biological control and habitat management is sought for sustainably controlling the maize cob borer M. nigrivenella

Agroecozone(s) and location(s): The Savannas in Benin

Expected outputs: a) Develop and test, on-farm, formulations of botanical extracts (with special emphasis on neem and hyptis) against cob borers; b) On-farm testing of habitat management options, particularly the management of wild vegetation; c) Redistribution of natural enemies of M. nigrivenella, particularly from eastern and southern Africa, in collaboration with the International Centre for insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, Kenya, and Plant Protection Research Institute (PPRI) of Pretoria, South Africa, and possibly also from tropical Asia, in collaboration with AVRDC, ICRISAT and MARDI; d) Participate in a multidisciplinary team in the development and testing of management options against major post-harvest pests. (Please note that M. nigrivenella damage in the field or in store serves as an entry point for mycotoxin-producing moulds).

Potential impact and beneficiaries: Assuming realisation of the Outputs, the project would improve food security and reduce poverty among small-scale rural farmers in Benin by enabling the reduction of costs of pest control in maize, and better human health through the reduction of mycotoxin contamination in the storage.

Partners: a) Service Protection des Végétaux et Contrôle Phytosanitaire (SPV) ;Ministèrè du Développement Rural, Direction de l'Agriculture, B.P. 58, Porto-Novo, Bénin ; b) Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin (INRAB), B.P. 884, Cotonou

Development investor(s): Development Investor (or Donor if given as a gift) DGIS (the Netherlands)

IITA contact person(s)/principal investigator(s): Manu Tamo M.Tamo@cgiar.org and Komi Agboka K.Agboka@cgiar.org website http://www.iita.org