African maize stalk borer

Systematic position: Busseola fusca belongs to the order Lepidoptera, family Noctuidae. It is a devastating moth species widely recognized as one of the primary pests of cereal crops in sub-Saharan Africa.

Host crops: The pest primarily targets maize, but it is also highly destructive to sorghum, pearl millet, and several wild grasses. Its ability to infest various host plants allows it to maintain populations even in the absence of primary crops.

Biology and lifecycle: The life cycle involves egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages. Females lay eggs under the leaf sheaths of young maize plants. After hatching, the larvae migrate to the whorl and subsequently bore into the stem, where they feed and complete their development. The number of generations per year is dictated by climatic factors and crop availability.

• Larvae feeding inside the central stem.
• Dead heart syndrome in young plants.
• Internal tunneling causing structural weakness.
• Increased susceptibility to stem breakage.
• Significant reduction in grain yield and plant vigor.

Management strategies: Integrated pest management (IPM) is crucial, focusing on crop rotation to break the pest cycle and deep plowing to destroy overwintering larvae in stalks. Chemical control through systemic insecticides applied at the early infestation stage is often necessary, supplemented by the use of resistant maize varieties and biological control agents.