The Effect of Cropping Systems on the Dispersal of Mycotoxigenic Fungi by Insects in Pre-Harvest Maize in Kenya
Maize productivity has remained low and has worsened in the wake of a changing climate, resulting in new invasive pests, with pests that were earlier designated as minor becoming major and with pathogens being transported by pests and/or entering their feeding sites. A study was conducted in 2021 in...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Insects |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/12/995 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846104317043408896 |
|---|---|
| author | Ginson M. Riungu James Muthomi Maina Wagacha Wolfgang Buechs Esther S. Philip Torsten Meiners |
| author_facet | Ginson M. Riungu James Muthomi Maina Wagacha Wolfgang Buechs Esther S. Philip Torsten Meiners |
| author_sort | Ginson M. Riungu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Maize productivity has remained low and has worsened in the wake of a changing climate, resulting in new invasive pests, with pests that were earlier designated as minor becoming major and with pathogens being transported by pests and/or entering their feeding sites. A study was conducted in 2021 in the Kisumu and Makueni counties, Kenya, to determine how different maize cropping systems affect insect diversity, insect damage to maize, and insects’ ability to spread mycotoxigenic fungi in pre-harvest maize. The field experiments used a randomized complete block design, with the four treatments being maize monocrop, maize intercropped with beans, maize–bean intercrop with the addition of <i>Trichoderma harzianum</i> at planting, and push–pull technology. The FAW, <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i> (J.E Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), was the most damaging pest in the two regions. The push–pull and the maize–bean intercropping technologies significantly reduced the maize foliage and ear damage caused by the FAW. Beetles passively spread mycotoxigenic <i>Aspergillus</i> spp. and <i>Fusarium verticillioides</i> on pre-harvest maize. Maize weevils, namely, <i>Sitophilus zeamais</i> Motschulsky, 1855 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and <i>Carpophilus dimidiatus</i> Fabricius, 1792 (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), earwigs, namely, <i>Forficula</i> spp. L. (Dermaptera: Forficulidae), and carpenter ants, namely, <i>Camponotus</i> spp. L. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) carried the highest number of spores on their exoskeletons. This study stresses the role of insects in the spread of fungi on pre-harvest maize and their possible control by intercropping and other cropping technologies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d72ba69c135f4659ac99c6ec6b5e1c15 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj-art-d72ba69c135f4659ac99c6ec6b5e1c152024-12-27T14:31:26ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502024-12-01151299510.3390/insects15120995The Effect of Cropping Systems on the Dispersal of Mycotoxigenic Fungi by Insects in Pre-Harvest Maize in KenyaGinson M. Riungu0James Muthomi1Maina Wagacha2Wolfgang Buechs3Esther S. Philip4Torsten Meiners5Sugar Research Institute, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Kisumu P.O. Box 44-40100, KenyaDepartment of Plant Science and Crop Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nairobi, Nairobi P.O. Box 29053-0625, KenyaDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi P.O. Box 30197-00100, KenyaInstitute for Biology and Chemistry, University of Hildesheim, Universitaetsplatz 1, 31141 Hildesheim, GermanyKenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service, Nairobi P.O. Box 49592-00100, KenyaJulius-Kuehn Institute, Koenigin-Luise-Str. 19, 14195 Berlin, GermanyMaize productivity has remained low and has worsened in the wake of a changing climate, resulting in new invasive pests, with pests that were earlier designated as minor becoming major and with pathogens being transported by pests and/or entering their feeding sites. A study was conducted in 2021 in the Kisumu and Makueni counties, Kenya, to determine how different maize cropping systems affect insect diversity, insect damage to maize, and insects’ ability to spread mycotoxigenic fungi in pre-harvest maize. The field experiments used a randomized complete block design, with the four treatments being maize monocrop, maize intercropped with beans, maize–bean intercrop with the addition of <i>Trichoderma harzianum</i> at planting, and push–pull technology. The FAW, <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i> (J.E Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), was the most damaging pest in the two regions. The push–pull and the maize–bean intercropping technologies significantly reduced the maize foliage and ear damage caused by the FAW. Beetles passively spread mycotoxigenic <i>Aspergillus</i> spp. and <i>Fusarium verticillioides</i> on pre-harvest maize. Maize weevils, namely, <i>Sitophilus zeamais</i> Motschulsky, 1855 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and <i>Carpophilus dimidiatus</i> Fabricius, 1792 (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), earwigs, namely, <i>Forficula</i> spp. L. (Dermaptera: Forficulidae), and carpenter ants, namely, <i>Camponotus</i> spp. L. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) carried the highest number of spores on their exoskeletons. This study stresses the role of insects in the spread of fungi on pre-harvest maize and their possible control by intercropping and other cropping technologies.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/12/995push–pull<i>Trichoderma</i><i>Aspergillus</i><i>Fusarium verticillioides</i>aflatoxinsmaize–legume intercropping |
| spellingShingle | Ginson M. Riungu James Muthomi Maina Wagacha Wolfgang Buechs Esther S. Philip Torsten Meiners The Effect of Cropping Systems on the Dispersal of Mycotoxigenic Fungi by Insects in Pre-Harvest Maize in Kenya Insects push–pull <i>Trichoderma</i> <i>Aspergillus</i> <i>Fusarium verticillioides</i> aflatoxins maize–legume intercropping |
| title | The Effect of Cropping Systems on the Dispersal of Mycotoxigenic Fungi by Insects in Pre-Harvest Maize in Kenya |
| title_full | The Effect of Cropping Systems on the Dispersal of Mycotoxigenic Fungi by Insects in Pre-Harvest Maize in Kenya |
| title_fullStr | The Effect of Cropping Systems on the Dispersal of Mycotoxigenic Fungi by Insects in Pre-Harvest Maize in Kenya |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effect of Cropping Systems on the Dispersal of Mycotoxigenic Fungi by Insects in Pre-Harvest Maize in Kenya |
| title_short | The Effect of Cropping Systems on the Dispersal of Mycotoxigenic Fungi by Insects in Pre-Harvest Maize in Kenya |
| title_sort | effect of cropping systems on the dispersal of mycotoxigenic fungi by insects in pre harvest maize in kenya |
| topic | push–pull <i>Trichoderma</i> <i>Aspergillus</i> <i>Fusarium verticillioides</i> aflatoxins maize–legume intercropping |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/12/995 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ginsonmriungu theeffectofcroppingsystemsonthedispersalofmycotoxigenicfungibyinsectsinpreharvestmaizeinkenya AT jamesmuthomi theeffectofcroppingsystemsonthedispersalofmycotoxigenicfungibyinsectsinpreharvestmaizeinkenya AT mainawagacha theeffectofcroppingsystemsonthedispersalofmycotoxigenicfungibyinsectsinpreharvestmaizeinkenya AT wolfgangbuechs theeffectofcroppingsystemsonthedispersalofmycotoxigenicfungibyinsectsinpreharvestmaizeinkenya AT esthersphilip theeffectofcroppingsystemsonthedispersalofmycotoxigenicfungibyinsectsinpreharvestmaizeinkenya AT torstenmeiners theeffectofcroppingsystemsonthedispersalofmycotoxigenicfungibyinsectsinpreharvestmaizeinkenya AT ginsonmriungu effectofcroppingsystemsonthedispersalofmycotoxigenicfungibyinsectsinpreharvestmaizeinkenya AT jamesmuthomi effectofcroppingsystemsonthedispersalofmycotoxigenicfungibyinsectsinpreharvestmaizeinkenya AT mainawagacha effectofcroppingsystemsonthedispersalofmycotoxigenicfungibyinsectsinpreharvestmaizeinkenya AT wolfgangbuechs effectofcroppingsystemsonthedispersalofmycotoxigenicfungibyinsectsinpreharvestmaizeinkenya AT esthersphilip effectofcroppingsystemsonthedispersalofmycotoxigenicfungibyinsectsinpreharvestmaizeinkenya AT torstenmeiners effectofcroppingsystemsonthedispersalofmycotoxigenicfungibyinsectsinpreharvestmaizeinkenya |