Abstract
At harvest taller plants of both sorghum and maize produced a greater grain yield, but under intercropping conditions maize always out-yielded sorghum when planted at the same time, whether the sorghum was planted in the same hill as maize, or in alternate hills, or in alternate rows. There were generally more stem-borers in sorghum than in maize, with Chilo partellus predominating. Intercropping increased the level of stem-borers in maize, while infestation was very low in pure stands of maize, and the level of borer infestation in sorghum remained the same. Borers had a considerable effect on yield of maize at Mbita Point, on the shores of Lake Victoria: an infestation level of 38–52% of internodes bored resulted in significant yield loss. Implications of these results for predicting yield reduction due to stem-borers is discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allyson S. (1977) A study of some North American larvae the genus Tetralopha Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Epipaschiinae). Can. Ent. 109, 329–336.
Berberet R. C., Morrison R. D. and Wall R. G. (1979) Yield reduction caused by the lesser cornstalk-borer in non-irrigated Spanish peanuts. J. econ. Ent. 72, 526–528.
Evans A. C. and Sreedharan A. (1962) Studies of intercropping (2). Castor bean with groundnuts or soyabean. E. Afr. agric. For. J. 28, 7–8.
Harris K. M. (1962) Lepidopterous stem-borers of cereals in Nigeria. Bull. ent. Res. 53, 139–171.
Ingram W. R. (1958) The lepidopterous stalk-borers associated with Gramineae in Uganda. Bull. ent. Res. 49, 367–383.
Isaac P. V. and Rao K. V. (1941) A key for the identification of the larvae of the known lepidopterous borers of sugar-cane in India, based on morphological characters. Indian J. agric. Sci. 11, 795–803.
Jackson R. D. and Peters D. C. (1963) Biological observations on the European corn-borer in South Eastern Missouri. J. econ. Ent. 56, 741–747.
Lynch R. E. (1980) European corn-borer: yield losses in relation to hybrid and stage of corn development. J. econ. Ent. 73, 159–164.
Lynch R. E., Robinson J. F. and Berry E. C. (1980) European corn-borer: yield losses and damage resulting from a simulated natural infestation. J. econ. Ent. 73, 141–144.
Nye I. W. B. (1960) The insect pests of graminaceous crops in East Africa. Colon. Res. Stud. No. 31, 48 pp. London, H.M.S.O.
Strickland A. H. (1952) The assessment of insect population in relation to crop losses. Trans. Ninth Int. Congr. Ent. Vol. I, pp. 611–618.
Swaine G. (1957) The maize and sorghum stalk-borer, Busseola fusca (Fuller), in peasant agriculture in Tanganyika Territory. Bull. ent. Res. 48, 711–722.
Walker P. T. (1960) Insecticide studies on the maize stalk-borer, Busseola fusca (Fuller), and yield of maize. Bull. ent. Res. 51, 321–351.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ogwaro, K. Intensity Levels of Stem-Borers in Maize and Sorghum and the Effect on Yield Under Different Intercropping Patterns. Int J Trop Insect Sci 4, 33–37 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400004008
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400004008