Journal of Pest Science (2006) 79, 51-55
Vaclav Stejskal, Petr Kosina and Luke Kanyomeka (2006)
Arthropod pests and their natural enemies in stored crops in northern Namibia
Journal of Pest Science 79 (1), 51-55
Abstract: A survey of stored product pests, their natural enemies, grain storage and pest management approaches in northern Namibia was conducted. The survey revealed five types of crop commodities (pearl millet, sorghum, cowpea, maize, feed mixture) stored in four types of grain stores (baskets, bag stags-flat stores, concrete bin, metal containers). No synthetic pesticides or plastic sheeting was recorded. Wooden-ash natural pesticide is the only protectant used. Ten insect pest species were found affiliated to the orders of Coleoptera (Attagenus fasciatus, Callosobruchus subinnotatus, Cryptolestes ferrugineus, Oryzaephilus surinamensis, Rhyzopertha dominica and Tribolium castaneum), Lepidoptera (Corcyra cephalonica, Sitotroga cerealella), Psocoptera (Liposcelis paeta) and Blattodea (Blattella germanica). Out of these, seven species were recognized as new stored-products pests for Namibia. Although listed for southern Africa region, no storage pest-mites (Acari) and Sitophilus spp., Prostephanus sp. or Trogoderma sp. beetles were traced. We found four new species of natural enemies of storage pests recruiting from insects (Habrobracon hebetor, Cephalonomia waterstoni, Brachymeria sp.) and mites (Blattisocius tarsalis). The occurrence of natural enemies indicates a potential for pest bio-control in Namibian grain stores.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Vaclav Stejskal
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation