Watch Lalini Unmole: A Sustainable Approach for the Management of the Legume Pod Borer, Maruca vitrata Fabricius on Bean in Mauritius

Lalini Unmole est une jeune chercheuse mauricienne. Elle a pris part à la finale de la compétition Jeunes Professionnels et Femmes scientifiques organisé par le CTA et ses partenaires.

En compétition dans la catégorie Femme en Science , son étude a porté sur le thème: Approche durable pour la gestion du vers Maruca vitrata Fabricius sur le haricot en Ile Maurice. Elle a remporte le 4ème prix de cette compétition dans la catégorie Femme en science.

Abstract
A Sustainable Approach for the Management of the Legume Pod Borer, Maruca vitrata Fabricius on Bean in Mauritius
The French bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L., is a strategic crop grown on about 360 hectares in Mauritius. Maruca vitrata F., Etiella zinckenella Tr. and Lampides boeticus L. are reported as major pod borers damaging floral parts and pods of bean without any investigation on their economic importance. Previously, insecticides were only screened at field level to update control recommendations. However, chemical control had not always been effective and farmers resorted to indiscriminate use of insecticides. Such practice has eventually raised health, economic and environment concerns. This 4-year study has addressed the pod borer complex in bean cultivation for the development of a sustainable pod borer management strategy. Maruca vitrata was found to be the only pod borer of economic importance causing up to 42% pod damage in untreated bean plots. Three existing plant species (Phaseolus lunatus L., Pueraria phaseoloides (Roxb.) Benth. and Macroptilium atropurpureum (DC.) Urb.) were recorded to host M. vitrata for the first time in Mauritius. Mung bean sprouts is a new and cheap larval diet for rearing of M. vitrata in laboratory. Three types of natural enemies (egg parasitoid, entomopathogenic fungus and nematode) were detected on M. vitrata for the first time in Mauritius. Laboratory tests showed that the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma chilonis Ishii, has attributes of an effective bio-control agent of M. vitrata. Biopesticides and IPM compatible products (Bacillus thuringiensis, azadirachtin, chlorantraniliprole, indoxacarb and spinosad) were identified as suitable alternatives to broad spectrum insecticides. Tested pheromone lures were not effective in luring males of M. vitrata and this indicates that the Mauritian M. vitrata could be a geographically distinct population.
Keywords: Trichogramma chilonis, Bacillus thuringiensis, chlorantraniliprole, indoxacarb, spinosad, azadirachtin


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