IITA IPM project 18: Biological control of the homopteran pests pineapple mealybug and the whitefly Paraleyrodes minei in West Africa.

Duration: 3 years (2004 to 2006)

Purpose: To develop biological control options for homopteran pests of agricultural crops in sub-Saharan Africa, with emphasis on the pineapple mealybug and the whitefly Paraleyrodes minei in West Africa.

Background/description: The pineapple mealybug Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) is an insect of neotropical origin that has become a cosmopolitan pest of pineapple. High populations of the pineapple mealybug can cause considerable losses to pineapple production resulting in substantial declines in pineapple yield and farm income. Another relatively new arrival to sub-Saharan Africa is the whitefly Paraleyrodes minei Iacarrino, which is of neotropical origin. Like many of its relatives, this insect occurs on many plant species including cassava, oil palm, coconut, citrus, and avocado at times causing substantial damage to the plants. Because of the exotic nature of D. brevipes and P. minei in sub-Saharan Africa, there is substantial opportunity to limit their populations through the introduction of efficient natural enemies. Over a dozen parasites and predators are known to attack D. brevipes and several have been introduced and established in Hawaii and several other countries with significant impact on D. brevipes populations. Similarly, effective natural enemies of P. minei have been located in Central and South America and are candidates for introduction into Africa for the biological control of this pest. In addition to the introduction and evaluation of natural enemies for the control of D. brevipes and P. minei, other potential management strategies include but are not limited to the following: (1) evaluation of the role of indigenous natural enemies, (2) habitat management options to enhance natural enemy activity, and (3) cultural and other tactics that disrupt foraging of ants that may interfere with parasites and predators of the mealybug.

Agroecozone(s) and location(s): Humid Forest and Moist Savanna in Benin and Ghana

Expected outputs: a) At least one efficient natural enemies of mealybug and whitefly identified and introduced into Africa; b) Ants tending the targeted pests are identified and their role in pest outbreaks determined; c) Crop losses due to the mealybug and the whitefly substantially reduced and yield and quality of affected crops increased.

Potential impact and beneficiaries: To be stated

Partners: a) National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRAB), Benin; b) Service de Protection des Végétaux (SPV), Benin; c) Crops Research Institute (CRI), Ghana; d) Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD), Ghana

Development investor(s): Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

IITA contact person(s)/principal investigator(s): Rachid Hanna R.Hanna@cgiar.org Manu Tamo M.Tamo@cgiar.org Georg Goergen G.Goergen@cgiar.org and Peter Boons P.Boons@cgiar.org website http://www.iita.org