Biological control of sugarcane pests in Mauritius: current status and future prospects

Code (CO)	MSI00P3395
Author (AU)	Ganeshan, S.
Title - English (ET)	Biological control of sugarcane pests in Mauritius: current status and future prospects
Thesis-Parent title (TH)	Allsopp, P. G. and Suasa-ard, W. (eds), Sugarcane pest management in the new millennium: Proceedings of the IV ISSCT Sugarcane Entomology Workshop, Khon Kaen, Thailand, 7-10 February 2000
Document Type(DT)	Book chapter
Date of publication (DP)	2000
Source (SO)	p. 3-9
ISBN (BN)	0949678031
Publisher (PB)	Indooroopilly: ISSCT
Language of text (LT)	En
Language of summaries (LS)	En
Abstract (AB)	Manipulation of the environment through classical biological control and adoption of cultural measures, such as weed control and cane trashing, have been the main pest management strategies implemented for very many years in Mauritius. The classical example is the introduction of the predatory bird Acridotheres tristis (L.) in 1762 from India for the biological control of the red locust, Nomadacris septemfasciata (Serville). Several species of parasitoids and predators have been introduced and released against the major pests Chilo sacchariphagus (Bojer), Aulacaspis tegalensis (Zehntner) and Phyllophaga smithi (Arrow). Whilst P. smithi is now innocuous, C. sacchariphagus and A. tegalensis remain chronic pests causing severe but localised losses in some regions. Outbreaks of occasional pests such as the soft scale Saccharipulvinaria iceryi (Signoret) have been managed by implementation of measures favouring multiplication of its natural enemies. Recent upsurge in populations of sugarcane armyworms, Mythimna spp., in mechanically harvested sugarcane fields prompted the use of chemicals. However, studies on the economic importance of these pests and the presence of several species of parasitoids. Insecticides are also currently applied on a very limited scale for the control of the whitegrub Heteronychus licas (Klug). The efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschinikoff) Sorokin is being assessed so as to develop an integrated pest management strategy to reduce damage by whitegrubs and armyworms
Descriptors - English (DE)	Sugarcane Pests Biological control Whitegrubs Heteronychus licas Phyllophaga smithi Alissonotum piceum Adoretus Moth borers Chilo sacchariphagus Armyworms Mythimna Scale insects Aulacaspis tegalensis
Descriptors - Geographic (DG)	Mauritius
Sort Key 1(K1)	Sugarcane: Pests, pest control and management
Sort Key 2 (K2)	Biological control
Date record entered (DA)	2000-07-10
Language of analysis (LA)	En
Location (LO)	ENTO
Processing status (PS)	CAT
MSIRI Staff (MS)	Ento