Kombinierter Einsatz von synthetischen Insektiziden und Bacillus thuringiensis sowie Trichogramma evanescens gegen ausgewa¨hlte Scha¨dlinge an Vigna sesquipedalis unter tropischen Tieflandbedingungen

Field experiments with the synthetic insecticides, Methomyl and Carbaryl, alone and in combination with the biological control agents, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and Trichogramma evanescens, were conducted to control pests in yardlong beans, Vigna sesquipedalis, during the dry season 1998/1999. The experimental area was located at the Central Luzon State University in the province of Nueva Ecija on the Philippine main island Luzon. Carbaryl was applied against bean flies 5 days after plant emergence. Methomyl was sprayed against pod sucking insects and the bean podborer, Maruca vitrata, 45 days after plant emergence. The biological control agents were applied with the beginning of the flowering stage of V. sesquipedalis, when plants were first attacked by M. vitrata.

Major insect pests on V. sesquipedalis were cowpea aphid (Aphis craccivora), leafminer (Liriomyza sp.), and bean podborer (M. vitrata). Both, Bt and T. evanescens had no significant impact on yield. M. vitrata eggs, exposed for 48 hours in the fields to augmented T. evanescens, were used to measure field efficacy of the parasitoid. Highest parasitism rate was 13.3 %, thus, generally low.

Highest yield was obtained from plots treated with both synthetic insecticides. No significant difference in fresh pod yield was observed when, in addition to the synthetic insecticides, Bt and/or T. evanescens was applied. However, all treatments significantly out-yielded the untreated control.