Author
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Charlet, Laurence |
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Submitted to: International Symposium on Sunflower in Developing Countries
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2002 Publication Date: 4/1/2002 Citation: CHARLET, L.D. ENTOMOLOGICAL CHALLENGES FOR SUNFLOWER AS AN INTRODUCED AGRICULTURAL CROP: REVIEW OF INSECT PESTS AND THEIR MANAGEMENT IN AFRICA, INDIA AND PAKISTAN. www.isa.cetiom.fr/symposium/charletusa.htm PROCEEDINGS INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SUNFLOWER IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES [2002] Interpretive Summary: Sunflower is native to North America, but was introduced to Spain in the 1500s and spread across Europe. Early culture was reported in India in 1855 and by 1922 sunflower oil was commercially important. Sunflower was introduced in Zaire about 1906 and reported in Kenya in the early 1920s. Production in South Africa was 32,000 ha in 1946. Sunflower domestication has had an impact on insects associated with sunflower in its native home; the transition to the cultivated plant has been very successful for a number of species which have become economic pests. This is also true in other areas of the world where insects from other crops have adopted sunflower as an acceptable host for food and development. Over 50 species of insects attack sunflower in India and Pakistan and are generally those that have wide host ranges and multiple generations. Within Africa, the pest complex on sunflower in Kenya is reported to include 80 insect species and in Nigeria 172 insect species are associated with the crop. Effective insect pest management requires a broad approach that includes knowledge of the insect's biology and population dynamics, determination of economic injury levels, use of resistant cultivars, cultural, biological, and chemical controls. Insecticides have been the primary avenue for reducing insect pests, but are expensive and unwanted side- effects may result including resistance, secondary pests, destruction of pollinators and natural enemies, and environmental contamination. Hopefully additional research into a wide spectrum of pest management strategies will result in both alternative methods for pest reduction and integration of biologically-based tactics into IPM systems to reduce need for insecticides in the future. Technical Abstract: Sunflower is native to North America, but was introduced to Spain in the 1500s and spread across Europe. Early culture was reported in India in 1855 and by 1922 sunflower oil was commercially important. Sunflower was introduced in Zaire about 1906 and was reported in Kenya in the early 1920s. Production in South Africa was 32,000 ha in 1946. Sunflower domestication has had an impact on the insects associated with sunflower in its native home; the transition to the cultivated plant has been very successful for a number of species which have become economic pests. This is also true in other areas of the world where insects from other crops have adopted sunflower as an acceptable host for food and development. Over 50 species of insects attack sunflower in India and Pakistan and are generally those that have wide host ranges and multiple generations. Within Africa, the pest complex on sunflower in Kenya is reported to include 80 insect species and in Nigeria 172 insect species are associated with the crop. Effective insect pest management requires a broad approach that includes knowledge of the insect's biology and population dynamics, determination of economic injury levels, the use of resistant cultivars, as well as cultural, biological, and chemical controls. Insecticides have been the primary avenue for reducing insect pests, but are expensive and unwanted side-effects may result including resistance, secondary pests, destruction of pollinators and natural enemies, and environmental contamination. Hopefully additional research into a wide spectrum of pest management strategies will result in both alternative methods for pest reduction and the integration of biologically-based tactics into IPM systems to reduce the need for insecticides in the future. |