Assessment of the Effectiveness of Natural Enemies of the Millet Head Miner

摘要

The millet head miner, Heliocheilus albipunctella (de Joannis), causes significant crop losses on pearl millet, Pen-nisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br., a primary food crop in Sahelian West Africa. Infestations sometimes approach 95%, with a grain yield loss of up to 60% (Guevremont 1983). Available management options are mainly cultural (e.g., late sowing and deep plowing) (Gahukar et al. 1986) and are impractical in this zone. The millet head miner could be controlled by natural enemies because it occupiesa predictable habitat, has only one generation per year, and is attacked by a wide range of natural enemies. Assessing the effectiveness of natural enemies is important before implementing a strategy to increase or conserve the natural enemies to control H, albipunctella.