Hostname: page-component-5db58dd55d-smskv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-06-12T10:52:29.349Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Influence of Dolichoderus thoracicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on cocoa pod damage by Conopomorpha cramerella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in Malaysia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Y.A. See  and
K.C. Khoo
Y.A. See
Affiliation:
Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
K.C. Khoo*
Affiliation:
Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
*
K.C. Khoo, Department of Plant Protection, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Malaysia.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The relationship between abundance of Dolichoderus thoracicus (Smith) and damage to cocoa pods caused by Conopomorpha cramerella Snellen was examined in a series of experiments. Pods were harvested from ant-abundant and ant-scarce plots and categorized into fully extractable, partially extractable and unextractable, the last category reflecting the most severe degree of C. cramerella infestation. An abundance of D. thoracicus was associated with significant reductions in the percentage unextractable pods but had little or no influence on the other two categories. Mean percentage pods infested was generally kept below 50% in ant-abundant plots and mostly exceeded the 50% level in ant-scarce plots. Other studies were: a survey of individual pods relating rate of infestation by C. cramerella to D. thoracicus abundance, an experiment which examined the effect of D. thoracicus exclusion on the rate of C. cramerella infestation, and a count of exit holes made by emerging prepupae of C. cramerella in relation to varying degrees of D. thoracicus abundance. The results showed a clear negative effect of D. thoracicus abundance on C. cramerella infestation rate. The results also indicated that the protection conferred by D. thoracicus was largely confined to the particular pod on which it was present. Rat damage, monitored as a subsidiary study, was higher in ant-scarce plots throughout the study period.

Information

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 86 , Issue 4 , August 1996 , pp. 467 - 474
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Ang, B.N. (1988) The cocoa black ant-mealybug relationship: artificial establishment of Cataenococcus hispidus (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) on cocoa. 105 pp. Master of Agricultural Science Thesis, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia.Google Scholar
Bakri, A.H., Asid, M. & Redshaw, M.J. (1986) Pemberantasan Helopeltis secara terpadu dengan penggunaan semut hitam dan bahan kimia pada tanaman coklat di Sumatera Utara. [Using black ants and chemicals in an integrated approach to control Helopeltis in cocoa in North Sumatra.] Temu llmiah Entomologi Perkebunan Indonesia, Medan, 1986, 11 pp.Google Scholar
Bourke, T.V. (1992) Pests and diseases of cocoa in Western Samoa and the Philippines, pp. 195–198 in Keane, P.J. & Putter, C.A.J. (Eds) Cocoa pest and disease management in Southeast Asia and Australasia. Rome, FAO.Google Scholar
Day, R.K. (1983) Progress towards an integrated control programme for the cocoa pod-borer Acrocercops cramerella (Snellen) in Sabah. Newsletter of the Malaysian Plant Protection Society 7 (Suppl.), 6–7.Google Scholar
Day, R.K. (1986) Population dynamics of cocoa pod borer Acrocercops cramerella: Importance of host plant cropping cycle, pp. 255–263in Pushparajah, E. & Chew, P.S. (Eds) Cocoa and coconuts: progress and outlook. Kuala Lumpur, Incorporated Society of Planters.Google Scholar
Dun, G.S. (1955) Miscellaneous pests of cocoa. Papua New Guinea Agricultural Journal 9, 109–119.Google Scholar
Giesberger, G. (1983) Biological control of the Helopeltis pest of cocoa in Java. pp. 91–180in Toxopeus, H. & Wessel, P.C. (Eds) Cocoa research in Indonesia 1900–1950, Vol. 2. Wageningen, American Cocoa Research Institute and International Office of Cocoa and Chocolate.Google Scholar
Han, K.J. & Bose, S. (1980) Some studies on mammalian pests in cocoa planted under coconuts. The Planter, Kuala Lumpur 56, 273–283.Google Scholar
Ho, C.T. (1994) Relationship between black cocoa ants, Dolichoderus thoracicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) abundance and cocoa borer, Conopomorpha cramerella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) damage in a cocoa plantation. 4th International Conference of Plant Protection in the Tropics,Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,28–31 March 1994. (Extended abstract)Google Scholar
Hölldobler, B. & Wilson, E.O. (1990) The ants. 732 pp. Berlin, Springer-Verlag.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kamaruddin, K.A. (1986) Interrelationship of cocoa rat's daily movements and home range sizes to population densities and the implications on control strategies, pp. 337–345in Pushparajah, E. & Chew, P.S. (Eds) Cocoa and coconuts: progress and outlook. Kuala Lumpur, Incorporated Society of Planters.Google Scholar
Khoo, K.C. & Chung, G.F. (1989) Use of the black cocoa ant to control mirid damage in cocoa. The Planter, Kuala Lumpur 65, 370–383.Google Scholar
Khoo, K.C. & Ho, C.T. (1992) The influence of Dolichoderus thoracicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on losses due to Helopeltis theivora (Heteroptera: Miridae), black pod disease and mammalian pests in cocoa in Malaysia. Bulletin of Entomological Research 82, 485–491.Google Scholar
Lim, G.S., Ho, C.T. Md, Jusoh, M.., Teoh, C.H., Khoo, K.C., Chan, L.G. & Ooi, P.A.C. (1987) The cocoa pod borer - history of spread and biology, pp. 5–10in The cocoa pod borer (an introduction and abstracts). Kuala Lumpur, Malaysian Plant Protection Society.Google Scholar
Lim, G.T. (1992) Biology, ecology and control of cocoa podborer Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen). pp. 85–100 in Keane, P.J. & Putter, C.A.J. (Eds) Cocoa pest and disease management in Southeast Asia and Australasia. Rome, FAO.Google Scholar
Lim, G.T. & Pan, K.Y. (1986) Observations on the survival of mature larvae and pupae of cocoa pod borer, Acrocercops cramerella Snellen. pp. 293–297in Pushparajah, E. & Chew, P.S. (Eds) Cocoa and coconuts: progress and outlook. Kuala Lumpur, Incorporated Society of Planters.Google Scholar
Lim, G.T. & Phua, P.K. (1986) Effect of cocoa podborer Acrocercops cramerella (Snellen) on yield and bean size. pp. 325–336in Pusparajah, E. & Chew, P.S. (Eds) Cocoa and Coconuts: Progress and Outlook. Kuala Lumpur, Incorporated Society of Planters.Google Scholar
Long, P.G. & Maddison, F. (1974) Revised list of insect pests and diseases of plants, Western Samoa. Technical Meeting on Plant Protection, S.P.C. Pago, American Samoa, 1967.Google Scholar
Macdonald, D.W. & Fenn, M.P.G. (1994) The natural history of rodents: preadaptations to pestilence. pp. 1–21in Buckle, A.P. & Smith, R.H. (Eds) Rodent pests and their control. Wallingford, UK, CAB International.Google Scholar
Mendenhall, W. & Sincich, T. (1992) Statistics for engineering and the sciences. 963 pp. New York, Macmillan.Google Scholar
Siegel, S. & Castellan, N.J. Jr. (1988) Non-parametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. 2nd edn399 pp. New York, McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar
Szent-Ivany, J.J.H. (1961) Insect pests of Theobroma cacao in the Territory of Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea Agricultural journal 13, 127–147.Google Scholar
Szent-Ivany, J.J.H. & Dun, G.S. (1964) Insect pests of Theobroma cacao L. in the territory of Papua New Guinea. Proceedings, Conference on Mirids and Other Pests of Cocoa,Ibadan,85–89.Google Scholar
Teh, C.L. & Yeow, R.K.C. (1995) CPB experience at BAL Plantations 1981–1995. Workshop on Control of the Cocoa Pod Borer, Ujung Pandang, Sulawesi, Indonesia, 16–18 October 1995. (Preprint)Google Scholar
Uichanco, L.B. (1936) Miscellaneous notes on locusts, agriculture and people in Mindanao. Philippines Agriculturist 25, 565–588.Google Scholar
Wardojo, S. (1992) Major pests and diseases of cocoa in Indonesia, pp. 63–67in Keane, P.J. & Putter, C.A.J. (Eds) Cocoa pest and disease management in Southeast Asia and Australasia. Rome, FAO.Google Scholar
Way, M.J. & Khoo, K.C. (1989) Relationships between Helopeltis theobromae damage and ants with special reference to Malaysian cocoa smallholdings. Journal of Plant Protection in the Tropics 6, 1–11.Google Scholar
Way, M.J. & Khoo, K.C. (1991) Colony dispersion and nesting habits of the ants, Dolichoderus thoracicus and Oecophylla smaragdina (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), in relation to their success as biological control agents on cocoa. Bulletin of Entomological Recearch 81, 341–350CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wood, B.J. (1984) Rat pests of tropical crops - a review of practical aspects. pp. 265–287in Dubock, A.C. (Ed.) Proceedings of a Conference on the Organisation and Practice of Vertebrate Pest Control.Elvetham Hall, UK,30 August-3 September, 1982.Google Scholar
Wood, B.J. & Chung, G.F. (1992) Integrated management of insect pests of cocoa in Malaysia. pp. 45–62in Keane, P.J. & Putter, C.A.J. (Eds) Cocoa pest and disease management in Southeast Asia and Australasia. Rome, FAO.Google Scholar
Wood, B.J., Chung, G.F., Sim, S.C. & Chee, C.F. (1992) Trials on control of the cocoa pod borer Conopomorpha cramerella (Snellen) in Sabah by regular complete harvesting. Tropical Pest Management 38, 271–278.CrossRefGoogle Scholar