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Biological control of the millet head miner Heliocheilus albipunctella in the Sahelian region by augmentative releases of the parasitoid wasp Habrobracon hebetor: effectiveness and farmers’ perceptions

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Abstract

On-farm augmentative releases of the parasitoid Habrobracon hebetor (Say) for controlling the millet head miner (MHM) Heliocheilus albipunctella (de Joannis) were tested in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from 2007 to 2009. In addition, a survey of farmers’ perceptions of insect pests, with particular focus on MHM, and the biological control program (BCP) was carried out. There was a significant increase of MHM parasitization rate after the releases, with up to 97% mortality. The survey on farmers’ perceptions revealed a fair knowledge of the MHM and the ability of farmers to describe the pest and the damage it caused. Farmers claimed that the biocontrol agent H. hebetor is effective and perceived a significant gain in grain yield due to this control strategy. Implications of these findings for a large extension of the MHM biocontrol program are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This study was made possible through the support provided to INERA, IER and INRAN by the Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP) of the McKnight Foundation under the terms of grants No. 06–011 and Nos. 09–036 through −039. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCRP/ McKnight Foundation. The authors are also thankful to farmers who graciously gave their time to answer and discuss questions, and to our collaborators, Adama Bonkoungou, Simon Tarpidiga, Mayaki Gaya, Laouali Amadou, Maimouna Abdourahamane, Ibrahim Ouattara and Amadou Tembely. We also thank Dr. David Onstad of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA, for his helpful editorial work.

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  1. Malick N. Ba

    Present address: ICRISAT, Niamey, BP 12404, Niamey, Niger

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire Central d’Entomologie Agricole, Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), CREAF, Kamboinsé, Burkina Faso

    Malick N. Ba & Clementine Dabire-Binso

  2. Institut National de Recherche Agronomique du Niger (INRAN), CERRA de Maradi, Niger

    Ibrahim B. Baoua

  3. Institut d’Economie Rurale du Mali (IER), Station de Cinzana, Mali

    Mamadou N’Diaye

  4. Laboratoire d’Entomologie Fondamentale et Appliquée, UFR/SVT, Université de Ouagadougou, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

    Antoine Sanon

  5. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Cotonou, Benin

    Manuele Tamò

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  1. Malick N. Ba
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Correspondence to Malick N. Ba.

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Ba, M.N., Baoua, I.B., N’Diaye, M. et al. Biological control of the millet head miner Heliocheilus albipunctella in the Sahelian region by augmentative releases of the parasitoid wasp Habrobracon hebetor: effectiveness and farmers’ perceptions. Phytoparasitica 41, 569–576 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-013-0317-x

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