Integrated Pest Management in Cocoa Agroforests in Southern Cameroon: Constraints and Overview

Imports of pesticides have long been subsidised for use in the cocoa agroforests of the humid forest zone of southern Cameroon. With the liberalisation of the cocoa and pesticides sectors and the devaluation of the local currency (CFA franc), farmers are facing fluctuations in the price paid for cocoa and the high cost of farm inputs. Without the support of the extension services, they themselves have developed traditional integrated control methods based on the use of plant extracts mixed with conventional pesticides. From a survey of 300 cocoa farmers, the study assesses the farmers' command of these methods, the pests controlled, the problems encountered and the institutional constraints in the definition and dissemination of integrated control methods. The study concludes with recommendations for research and development towards the better definition and dissemination of integrated control methods. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Pymetrozine: Selectivity spectrum to beneficial arthropods and fitness for integrated pest management

Pymetrozine is the first and only substance from the group of azomethine pyridines, a novel class of insecticides. The spectrum of activity covers sucking pests such as aphids, whiteflies and planthoppers.Tests were carried out in the laboratory and under field conditions to evaluate its impact on beneficial arthropods.In laboratory tests it demonstrated full selectivity against predaceous Coleoptera, Heteroptera, Neuroptera and the predatory mite Typhlodromus pyri.Following a single application at 250/200g a.i./ha on cotton in Egypt and in the USA, the regular sampling of predators over a period of three weeks revealed a similar population development in the pymetrozine and the untreated control plots. On okra, a vegetable crop in Egypt, it suppressed populations of Aphis gossypii with two sprays at 100g a.i./ha for the whole observation period of 23 days. It also allowed the survival of predators.These positive features make pymetrozine an ideal component in situations where sucking pests have to be controlled and natural enemies can play a substantial role as complementary control tools.     

Identification and pathogenicity of Neophysopella species associated with Asian grapevine leaf rust in Brazil

Asian grapevine leaf rust (AGLR) causes severe crop losses in Brazilian viticulture, mainly in latitudes <25°S. The purpose of this study was to identify the pathogen(s) involved with AGLR in Brazil, based on phylogenetic and morphological analysis and pathogenicity tests. In total, 56 monouredinial isolates from six Brazilian states were identified using the internal transcribed spacer 2 and the large subunit rRNA gene D1/D2 regions. All 50 isolates from the south-central region were classified as Neophysopella tropicalis, and the other six isolates from the north-east region as Neophysopella meliosmae-myrianthae. This result provides evidence that two pathogen introductions from different sources may have occurred in the country. For both species, paraphyses were cylindrical, incurved, aseptate, and hyaline, while urediniospores were short-pedicellate, obovoid or obovoid-ellipsoid, with the wall colourless or pale yellowish, evenly echinulate. Representative isolates from both species caused typical AGLR symptoms on Vitis vinifera 'Merlot' and V. labrusca 'Niagara Rosada'. Overall, regardless of the Neophysopella species, isolates caused similar leaf disease severities. Higher disease severity was observed in Niagara Rosada (average of 40.3% of diseased leaf area) compared to Merlot (20.5%). This study reports, for the first time, the characterization of Neophysopella species associated with AGLR in Brazil.     

Winter annual grassy weeds increase over‐winter mortality in autumn‐sown wheat

Over‐winter mortality, that is, winterkill, reduces cereal crop competitive ability and yield. While management and environmental variables are known to affect winterkill, the extent to which weeds contribute to increased winterkill is largely unknown. Winter annual weeds may increase winterkill through resource competition and by increasing incidence of and damage from plant pathogens that cause winterkill. We evaluated the impact of summer annual (Avena fatua) and winter annual (Bromus tectorum) weeds on the over‐winter survival rate of winter wheat over three winters, during which plots were covered with snow. Pink snow mould (Microdochium nivale), a winterkill pathogen known to infect B. tectorum and winter wheat, was common in wheat stands. In weed‐free treatments, mortality rates were initially near zero, but increased by nearly 45% in each subsequent winter, presumably due to an increase in snow mould disease in continuously cropped winter wheat. Whereas A. fatua infestation had no impact on crop survival rates, winter wheat survival in B. tectorum‐infested plots was 50% less than the weed‐free control in the second and third years of this study. Among B. tectorum‐infested plots, winter wheat over‐winter survival declined with increasing weed seed produced in the previous summer. Overall, this study demonstrated that winter annual weed infestations can reduce crop stand densities below replanting thresholds by reducing fall‐sown cereal winter survival. The effects of winter annual weeds on winter wheat may be meditated by increased proliferation of snow mould disease.     

Thieves,bats and fruit flies: local ecological knowledge on the weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda in relation to three ‘invisible’ intruders in orchards in Guinea

We held interviews with 100 mango and cashew growers in Guinea, West Africa. Fewer than 20 questions dealing with the tree-inhabiting weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda were developed, based on local context and related research conducted on farmers' knowledge in other countries. More than half of the growers reported that ants protect their orchard from thieves. Apart from deterring snakes, about 46% of the growers mentioned that weaver ants reduce damage by fruit-eating bats; some reported that bats do dislike the smell of weaver ants. Whereas the relationship between ants and humans or conspicuous fruit bats is well understood, a quantitative appreciation of the effect of Oecophylla on small insect pests, such as fruit flies, is more complex. Despite the fact that 57% of the growers reported that Oecophylla had a positive effect on mango fruit quality, many classified Oecophylla as a pest due to its nuisance during harvest, and they requested the plant protection staff to help them with pesticides. Strategies to strengthen local ecological knowledge are discussed.     

Sexual Recombination in Gibberella zeae

ABSTRACT We developed a method for inducing sexual outcrosses in the homothallic Ascomycete fungus Gibberella zeae (anamorph: Fusarium graminearum). Strains were marked with different nitrate nonutilizing (nit) mutations, and vegetative compatibility groups served as additional markers in some crosses. Strains with complementary nit mutations were cocultured on carrot agar plates. Ascospores from individual perithecia were plated on a minimal medium (MM) containing nitrate as the sole nitrogen source. Crosses between different nit mutants segregated in expected ratios (3:1 nit(-):nit(+)) from heterozygous perithecia. Analysis of vegetative compatibility groups of progeny of two crosses indicated two and three vegetative incompatibility (vic) genes segregating, respectively. For rapid testing of sexual recombination between nit mutants, perithecia were inverted over MM to deposit actively discharged ascospores. Development of proto-trophic wild-type colonies was taken as evidence of sexual recombination. Strains of G. zeae group 2 from Japan, Nepal, and South Africa, and from Indiana, Kansas, and Ohio in the United States were sexually interfertile. Four group 1 strains were not interfertile among themselves or with seven group 2 strains. Attempts to cross G. zeae with representatives of F. acuminatum, F. avenaceum, F. culmorum, F. crookwellense, F. oxysporum, and three mating populations of G. fujikuroi were not successful.     

Seasonal changes in germination response of buried seeds of Orobanche crenata Forsk.

Orobanche crenata seeds, collected in Syria, Egypt and Spain, were buried in the field in Syria (all three seed lots) and Spain (only Spanish seeds) and at regular intervals exhumed and tested for germination, to investigate whether the seeds exhibit an annual dormancy/non-dor- mancy cycle. When exposed directly to the synthetic germination stimulant GR24 for 7 days at 20°C, seeds only germinated in autumn after the first rains and to a limited extent in winter. When the seeds were conditioned for 11 days at 20°C prior to exposure to GR24, germination occurred during summer and autumn, but seeds were dormant in winter and early spring. The observed seasonal pattern in germinability, in relation to rainfall and soil temperature, was largely consistent with the results of an in vitro experiment by Van Hezewijk et al. (1993), investigating the effect of conditioning temperature and conditioning period on germination capacity and the development of secondary dormancy. Moisture and temperature can therefore be considered the major factors regulating induction and alleviation of dormancy in buried O. crenata seeds. There were no basic differences in response owing to site of collection of O. crenata seeds, nor to the location where they were buried. Variations saisonnières des exigences de germination de graines enfouies d'Orobanche crenata Forsk. Des graines d'Orobanche crenata récoltées en Syrie, en Égypte et en Espagne ont été enfouies au champ en Syrie (les 3 lots) et en Espagne (seules les graines d'Espagne) puis ont été exhumées a intervalles régulier pour que leur aptitude à la germination soil évaluée. Le but était de déterminer si les graines possédaient un cycle annuel dormance/non dormance. Quand elles étaient directement exposées au stimulant de germination synthétique GR24 pendant 7 jours à 20°C, les graines ne germaient qu'à l'automne après les premières pluies et peu en hiver. Quand les graines restaient pendant 11 jours à 20°C avant leur exposition au GR24, la germination seproduisait en été et à l'automne mais les graines restaient dormantes en hiver et au début du prin-temps. Les variations saisonnières d'aptitude à la germination, liées aux précipitations et à la temperature du sol, étaient en accord avec les résultats d'une expérience in vitro de Van Hezewijk et al. (1993) concernant l'effet de la température et de la durée pendant laquelle elle est appliquée, sur l'aptitude à la germination et le développement de la dormance secondaire. L'humidité du sol et sa température peuvent ainsi être considérées comme les principaux facteurs qui induisent et lèvent la dormance de graines de O. crenata enfouies. On n'observait pas de différences importantes dues au lieu de récolte ou à l'endroit oü elles étaient enfouies. Jahreszeitliche Änderungen der Keimung von vergrabenen Samen von Orobanche crenata Forsk. Proben von in Syrien, Ägypten und Spanien gesammelten Orobanche-crenata-Samen wurden in Syrien und Proben nur spanischer Herkunft in Spanien im Freiland im Boden ausgelegt und in regelmäßigen Zeitabständen ausgegraben und auf ihre Keimfähigkeit getestet, um zu untersuchen, ob die Samen einen jährlichen Dormanz-Zyklus haben. Beim direktem Auslegen in dem synthetischen Keimungsmittel GR24 öber 7 d bei 20°C keimten die Samen nur im Herbst nach den ersten Regenfällen und in beschränktem Umfang im Winter. Wenn die Samen för 11 d bei 20°C vor dem Auslegen in GR24 vorbehandelt worden waren, keimten sie im Sommer und Herbst, aber im Winter und fröhen Fröhjahr waren sie dormant. Das jahreszeitliche Verhalten der Keimfähigkeit in Abhängigkeit von Niederschlag und Bodentemperatur stimmte weitgehend mit den Ergebnissen eines In-vitro-Versuches von Van Hezewijk et al. (1993) öber die Wirkung einer Wärmevorbehandlung und Vorbehandlungszeit auf die Keimfähigkeit und die Ausprägung sekundärer Dormanz öberein. Bodenfeuchte und -temperatur können deshalb als die wichtigsten Faktoren för die Induktion und Aufhebung der Dormanz von Orobanche-crenata-Samen im Boden angesehen werden. Herkunft und Versuchsort hatten keinen erheblichen Einfluß auf die Ergebnisse.     

Pre-emergence herbicides for the control of broomrape (Orobanche cernua Loefl.) in sunflower (Helianthus annus L.)

Field experiments were conducted from 1989 to 1992 to determine the effects of pre-emergence herbicides in sunflower (Helianthus armuus L.) on: (1) the control of Orobanche cemua Loefl. (broomrape) and (2) crop damage and crop yield. Herbicides tested belong to the imidazolinone, sulfonylurea and substituted amide families. Imazethapy r (20–40 g ha^?1), imazapy r (12.5–25 gha^?1) and chlorsulfuron (4–6 gha^?1) controlled broomrape efficiently without crop injury. With good O. cernua control and good crop tolerance, sunflower seed yield from these treatments were generally similar to the non-infested checks and higher than the infestedchecks. Imazaquin (20–40 gha^?1), triasulfuron(4gha^?1), pdmisulfuron(3g ha^?1), acetochlor (4–4 kg ha^?1) and metazachlor (2 kg ha^?1) were less effective. Imazamethabenz (200–600 g ha^?1) and metolachlor (3–3 kg ha^?1) were ineffective. Wetconditions aftercropsowing considerably decreased O. cemua control with pre-emergence herbicides probably caused by enhanced degrädation. Des herbicides de prelevee pour la lutte contre Vorobanche (Orobanche cemua Loefl.) dans le toumesol (Helianthus annuus L.) Des expérimentations au champ ont été conduites de 1989 á 1992 pour determiner les effets d'herbicides de pré1evée du toumesol sun (a) la destruction de l'orobanche (Orobanche cernua Loefl.) et (b) la phytotoxcité sur la culture. Les herbicides testés appartenaient aux imidazolinones, aux sulfonylurdes et aux amides substituées. L'imazethapyr (20 á 40 gha^?1), l'imazapyr (12,5 á25gha^?1)et le chlorsulfuron (4 á 6 gha^?1) détruisaient efficacement l'orobanche sans occasionner de phytotoxidt6 sur la culture. Dans ces conditions, les rendements étaient généralement semblables à ceux des témoins non infestés et supérieurs à ceux des témoins infestés. L'imazaquin (20 à 40 g ha^?1), le triasulfuron (4 gha^?1), le primisulfuron (3 g ha^?1), lacétolachlor (4,4 kg ha^?1) et le métazachlor (2 kg ha^?1) étaient moins efficaces. L'imazaméthabenz (200 á 600 g ha^?1) et le métolachlor (3,3 kg ha^?1) etaient inefficaces. Des conditions humides aprfes le semis diminuaient considérablement la destruction de O. cemua par les herbicides de prélevée, probablement à cause d'une dégradation plus élevée. Vorauflaufherbigide zur Bekdmpfung der Sommerwurz Orobanche cemua Loefl. in Sonnenblume (Helianthus annuus L.) Zwischen 1989 und 1992 wurden in Sonnenblume Feldversuche zur Wirkung von Vorauflaufherbiziden aus den Gruppen der Imidazolinone, Sulfonylharnstoffe und substitutierten Amide auf die Sommerwurz Orobanche cernua und auf Kulturpflanzenschaden sowie den Ertrag durchgefuhrt. Mit Imazethapyr (20 bis 40 g ha^?1), Imazapyr (12,5 bis 25 g ha^?1) und Chlorsulfuron (4 bis 6 g ha^?1) lieβ sich die Sommerwurz wirksam bekampfen, ohne daβ Schaden an der Sonnenblume auftraten, und die Ertrage waren allgemein ahnlich oder hoher als bei der nichtparasitierten Kontrolle. Imazaquin (20 bis 40 ha^?1), Triasulfuron (4 g ha^?1).Primisulfuron (3 g ha ^?1). Acetochlor (4,4 kg ha ^?1 und Metazachlor (2 kg ha ^?1) waren weniger wirksam. Imazamethabenz (200 bis 600 g ha^?1) und Metolachlor (3,3 kg ha^?1) hatten keine Wirkung. Bei Niederschlagen nach der Saat der Sonnenblume war die Bekampfung der Sommerwurz mit Vorauflaufherbiziden vermutlich wegen verstärkten Abbaus erheblich schwächer.