Biological control of the cassava hornworm Erinnyis ello (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae)

Several Lepidoptera attack cassava; of these the cassava hornworm, Erinnyis ello (L) (Sphingidae), is the only serious lepidopteran pest throughout the cassava-growing regions of the Neotropics. Severe attacks cause complete plant defoliation, losses in bulk root production, and lower root quality....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Florida entomologist 1992-12, Vol.75 (4), p.506-515
Main Authors: Bellotti, A.C. (Centro International de Agricultura Tropical, Cali, Colombia), Arias V, B, Guzman, O.L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
AGENT PATHOGENE
Arias
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
Cassava
CONTROL BIOLOGICO
DEPREDADORES
ENTOMOPATHOGENS
ERINNYIS ELLO
Insect larvae
INSECTE NUISIBLE
INSECTOS DANINOS
Instars
Lepidoptera
LUTTE BIOLOGIQUE
MANIHOT ESCULENTA
Mortality
Natural enemies
ORGANISMOS PATOGENOS
PARASITE
PARASITES
Parasitoids
PARASITOS
PATHOGENS
PEST INSECTS
Plants
PREDATEUR
PREDATORS
PREDATORS OF INSECT PESTS
Sphingidae
Viruses
Workshop on Important Arthropod Pests of the Caribbean Basin Amenable to Biological Control: Homoptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera
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Description
Summary:Several Lepidoptera attack cassava; of these the cassava hornworm, Erinnyis ello (L) (Sphingidae), is the only serious lepidopteran pest throughout the cassava-growing regions of the Neotropics. Severe attacks cause complete plant defoliation, losses in bulk root production, and lower root quality. Hornworm attacks may be sporadic, are often cyclic and usually unpredictable. Farmers often react to severe attacks by excessive, ill-timed applications of pesticides that may result in resurgence of this pest. Biological control offers an economically feasible and environmentally sound alternative. Approximately 40 natural enemies have been identified including egg and larval parasites, egg, larval, and pupal predators, fungi, bacteria and a virus. Because of the migratory behavior of hornworm adults, this abundance of natural enemies does not prevent periodic hornworm outbreaks. A hornworm baculovirus is highly effective in control of E. ello, and is being utilized by cassava farmers in southern Brazil. /// Varios lepidopteros atacan la yuca, uno de estos es el gusano cachon Ernnyis ello (L) (Sphingidae) el cual es la unica plaga lepidoptera importante en todas las regiones yuqueras del neotropico. Ataques severos causan defoliacion completa de la planta, disminucion en tamano de raices y baja calidad de las mismas. Los ataques de gusano cachon pueden ser esporadicos, a menudo son ciclicos y generalmente impredecibles. Los agricultores reaccionan frequentemente a los ataques de cachon mediante aplicaciones excesivas de pesticidas, lo cual puede originar ataques mas frequentes. El control biologico ofrece una buena y factible alternativa que favorece ademas el medio ambiente. Aproximadamente 40 enemigos naturales han sido identificados incluyendo parasitos de huevos y larvas, predadores en huevos, larvas y pupas, ademas de hongos, bacterias y virus. Debido a el comportamiento migratorio de los adultos de gusano cachon, dicha abundancia de enemigos naturales no previene las explosiones periodicas del mencionado insecto. El Baculovirus es altamente efectivo en el control de E. ello, y actualmente viene siendo utilizado por los agricultores productores de yuca.
ISSN:0015-4040
1938-5102
DOI:10.2307/3496132