Tephritid Fruit Fly Species Composition, Seasonality, and Fruit Infestations in Two Central African Agro-Ecological Zones.

and several Africa-native species are serious constraints to fruit production in sub-Saharan Africa. A long-term trapping and fruit collection study was conducted (2011-2016) in two contrasting agro-ecological zones (AEZs) of Cameroon to determine fruit fly species composition, seasonality, attraction to various lures and baits, and fruit infestation levels. Ten tephritid species from genera , , , and were captured in traps.

Temperature-based phenology model to predict the development, survival, and reproduction of the oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis.

The oriental fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a major pest of fruit and vegetable production systems on several continents. The pest has invaded many countries, causing considerable impact on fruit production systems and commercialization. In this study we determined the relationship between temperature and development, survival and reproductive parameters of B.

Rheological and textural properties of lafun, a stiff dough, from improved cassava varieties.

We studied the textural and rheological (viscoelastic) properties of fresh lafun dough, a fermented cassava product, and their changes during storage at 45 °C for 5 and 24 h, in order to determine after-cooking storability. Lafun flours were produced from three types of cassava varieties: seven improved white-fleshed varieties, seven improved provitamin A carotenoids (pVAC) varieties and two local white-fleshed varieties; and processed into lafun doughs. Pasting properties of the flours were assessed.

Efficiency of Food-Based Attractants for Monitoring Tephritid Fruit Flies Diversity and Abundance in Mango Systems Across Three West African Agro-Ecological Zones.

Food baits are effective and widely used tools for monitoring diversity and abundance of tephritid fruit flies. Four food-baits-Nulure, BioLure, Mazoferm at 3 and 6%, and Torula yeast-were used in multi-lure traps over a 4-yr period in mango orchards in three Benin agro-ecological zones (AEZ) representing a large swath of environments in western Africa. Twelve tephritid fruit fly species were captured during the trials, with the highest richness in the Forest Savannah Mosaic (FSM), followed by the Southern Guinea Savannah (SGS), and the Northern Guinea Savannah (NGS) AEZ.

Bactrocera invadens (Diptera: Tephritidae), a new invasive fruit fly pest for the Afrotropical region: host plant range and distribution in West and Central Africa.

In 2003, the invasive fruit fly Bactrocera invadens Drew, Tsuruta & White (Diptera: Tephritidae) (Drew et al. 2005), of possible Sri Lankan origin, has been detected in the East and about 1 yr later in West Africa. In regular surveys in Benin and Cameroon covering 4 yr, samples from 117 plant species across 43 families have been obtained.

Effects of prey mite species on life history of the phytoseiid predators Typhlodromalus manihoti and Typhlodromalus aripo.

The effects of prey mite suitability on several demographic characteristics of phytoseiid predators and the relationship of these effects to the potential of phytoseiid predators to control herbivorous mite populations are well documented. Evidence has also accumulated in the last 20 years demonstrating that phytoseiid predators utilize herbivorous prey mite-induced plant volatiles as olfactory cues in locating their herbivorous mite prey. but less well established is the predictability of reproductive success from the ability of the predators to utilize olfactory cues to locate their prey, and how these processes are related to the success of the predators as biological control agents of the herbivorous mite.

Infochemical-mediated intraguild interactions among three predatory mites on cassava plants.

Carnivorous arthropods exhibit complex intraspecific and interspecific behaviour among themselves when they share the same niche or habitat and food resources. They should simultaneously search for adequate food for themselves and their offspring and in the meantime avoid becoming food for other organisms. This behaviour is of great ecological interest in conditions of low prey availability.

Prey-related odor preference of the predatory mites Typhlodromalus manihoti and Typhlodromalus aripo (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

Typhlodromalus manihoti and Typhlodromalus aripo are exotic predators of the cassava green mite Mononychellus tanajoa in Africa. In an earlier paper, we showed that the two predators were attracted to odors from M. tanajoa-infested cassava leaves.