biology, monitoring and management of banana aphid – vector of banana bunchy top virus
DESCRIPTION
Global distribution of banana aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa,Host plants,Life cycle of the banana aphid,Natural enemies associated with the banana aphidTRANSCRIPT
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Biology, monitoring and management of banana
aphid – vector of banana bunchy top virus
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Global distribution of banana aphid
Pentalonia nigronervosa
(source: CPC 2007)
Putative area of origin: Papua New Guinea, Eastern Indonesia
Little is known about timing invasion outside of its area of origin
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Minor hosts (at least 14)
Xanthosoma mafaffa (cocoyam), Zingiber officinale (ginger),
Aframomum daniellii, Costus afer, Alocasia spp, Alpinia spp,
Elettaria cardamomum (cardamom) , Heliconia, Strelizia reginae
(Queens bird-of-paradise), Hedychium coronarium, Canna spp.
Major hosts
Musa (banana and plantain), Musa textilis (manila hemp or abaca),
Colocasia esculenta (taro)
Host plants
Cardamom Cocoyam Ginger
Musaceae, Araceae, Commelinaceae, Zingiberacea
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
First
Second
Third
Fourth
(1.5 mm)Winged
(migrant)
Up to 30 generations
per year;
Around 25C is best temp
for growth
Life cycle of the banana aphid
Live birth
Parthenogenetic
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Control options
Very few attempts at biological control – no
serious efforts at classical biological control
Discouraging results from releases of two non-
naturally associated (Aphidius colemani,
Lysiphlebus testaseipes) parasitoids in South
Pacific
No serious attempt to develop entomopathogens
Host plant resistance – not explored
Several insecticides have been recommended:
Several organophosphate and carbamate
Imidacloprid – non-systemic
No option for small growers; cause
secondary pest outbreaks (e.g.,
mealybugs)
Other methods (hot water treatment of suckers?)
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Aphid and BBTD survey in Central Africa
Distribution of BBTD,
severity, virus strains,
spread, etc. – L. Kumar
presentation
Distribution, abundance,
associated natural
enemies of the aphid
Farmers knowledge of
the disease and the
aphid and their methods
of control
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Aphid abundance
Wet season
Dry season
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Aphid abundance on banana and plantain
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Banana
Plantain
Aphid abundance on banana and
plantain varieties
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
0 15 30 45 60
Lo
wer
Mid
dle
Up
per
Can
op
y s
trata
Aphids per stratum
Plantain
Banana
Within-plant distribution of
banana aphid
on banana and plantain
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Monitoring aphid abundance on plants
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Genus Frequency Genus Frequency
Pheidole spp 77 Myrmicaria opaciventris 5
Technomyrmex spp 56 Solenopsis geminata 5
Monomorium spp 47 Pyramica spp 4
Paratrechina spp 44 Cerapachys sp 2
Camponotus spp 27 Dorylus sp 2
Crematogaster spp 22 Meranoplus sp 2
Tetramorium spp 20 Oecophylla sp 1
Tapinoma spp 14 Plagiolepis sp 1
Lepisiota spp 11 Cataulacus sp 1
Unknown 9 Polyrachis sp 1
Wasmannia auropunctata 6 Anochetus sp 1
> 24 ant species in 5 families
Ants found on banana/plantain(Central Africa)Pheidole sp. Technomyrmex sp.
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Χ2 = 125.3 P < 0.0001 df (1, 860)
Aphids and ants co-occurrence on banana
and plantain
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Natural enemies associated with the
banana aphid
Few predators associated with aphid; several species of
coccinelids
Occasional aphid mummies –infected with
entomopathogenic fungi – most likely a Neozygites sp. - in
Cameroon and Gabon.
Surprisingly, no parasitoids were obtained from aphids, but
more detailed regular monitoring need to be conducted.
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Banana aphid is widespread
Important in local spread of BBTV
Knowledge gaps to fill:
Aphid dispersal: active, ants
Aphid diversity; association with BBTD strains
Aphid abundance and freq of viriliferous aphis
Exploit variation in banana/plantain genotype suitability to the aphid
to identify sources of resistance
Classical biological control – search natural enemies (predators;
parasitoid, entomopathogens) in area of origin – recently initiated
Ant control where feasible – commercial plantation (ant baits
developed but more testing); reduce aphid populations & dispersal
Summary and research needs
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture – Institut international d’agriculture tropicale – www.iita.org
Thank you