Occurrence and abundance of cacao pod borer (Conopomorpha cramerella Snellen) in small holder farm during wet season in Southeast Sulawesi

Issue Date

10-2004

Abstract

At present, over 100,000 hectares or 20% of the cacao farms of Indonesia are infested with the cacao pod borer, Conopomorpha cramerella Snellen, and the spread of infestation varies from province to province. However, information on the occurrence and abundance of the cacao pod borer (CPB) and its parasitoids in Indonesia, especially in Southeast Sulawesi, is very limited. This study was conducted in two cacao-growing districts, Kendari and Kolaka, Southeast Sulawesi, where smallholder farms are concentrated. Results showed that the CPB infestation is higher in Kendari than in Kolaka district. The infestation varied significantly with the farm size. Large farms (>2 ha) had lower infestation than the medium (1-2 ha) and small (<1 ha) farms. Infestation at the start of the harvest season was low but gradually increased with time. The larval population in Kendari was higher than in Kolaka district and varied significantly with farm size. The mean larval population per plant in small farms (<1 ha) in Kendari and Kalaka districts were 1.43 ± 0.0 and 1.40 ± 0.2, respectively. Data obtained on May 1st-10th revealed that the borer population was low, doubled in June 11th-20th, and finally increased four times at the end of the harvest season. The medium and large scale farms had comparable CPB larval populations during the entire harvest season. The mean numbers of CPB pupae per plant sample in Kendari and in Kolaka differed significantly. Pupal population trend was similar to that of the larvae, lowest at the start of harvest and three times as much at the end of the season regardless of farm size. No parasitoid was collected in this study, probably due to the short sampling period. Moreover, sampling was done during the rainy season and generally parasitoid populations are low at this time. There is a need to collect CPB population all year round to ascertain the presence of parasitoids.

Source or Periodical Title

Philippine Entomologist

ISSN

0048-3753

Volume

18

Issue

2

Page

178

Document Type

Article

Frequency

semi-annually

Language

English

En – AGROVOC descriptors

CONOPOMORPHA CRAMERELLA; THEOBROMA CACAO; LARVAE; INFESTATION; PLANT PESTS; WET SEASON; GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION; SULAWESI

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