Tropical Pest Management (1992) 38, 201-205

L.B. Coop and B.A. Croft (1992)
Damage rates to pearl millet by adults of five grasshopper species and Psalydolytta blister beetles in Mali
Tropical Pest Management 38 (2), 201-205
Abstract: Five grasshopper species were caged over milk stage millet panicles to determine relative damage rates. Psalydolytta spp. blister beetles were caged over flowering stage millet panicles. The grasshopper Hieroglyphus daganensis was caged on flowering, milk and dough stage panicles. The standard treatment used was two insects caged per panicle for 4 days. Highest damage rates per insect were obtained from Psalydolytta spp., at 10.3 cm² millet surface area per day, Kraussaria angulifera, at 4.3 cm² per day, and Cataloipus cymbiferus, at 3.3 cm² per day. The average insect weight was correlated with damage rate (r = 0.93), and the number of insects requiring replacement was negatively correlated with damage rate (r = -0.69). Damage per insect dry weight (g) was highest for Psalydolytta spp. and the smaller grasshoppers Kraussella amabile and Oedaleus senegalensis, at 25.8, 7.9, and 6.4 cm²/g per day, respectively. Highest damage levels from H. daganensis occurred during the early and middle milk stage. Damage rates were relatively low during the early flowering and mid-late dough stages. The percentage weight of grain kernels remaining after grasshopper feeding was 35-70% when exposed to grasshoppers during late milk and dough stages and 10-35% when exposed during the early milk stage. A formula and example calculations for estimating economic injury levels are provided.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
damage/losses/economics

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Oedaleus senegalensis		Mali
	Kraussella amabile	Pearl millet (Cenchrus americanus)	Mali
	Hieroglyphus daganensis	Pearl millet (Cenchrus americanus)
	Cataloipus cymbiferus	Pearl millet (Cenchrus americanus)	Mali
	Kraussaria angulifera		Mali