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The legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), an important insect pest of cowpea: a review emphasizing West Africa

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Abstract

The legume pod borer Maruca vitrata Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a pantropical insect pest of legumes. In West Africa M. vitrata is the most devastating insect pest of cowpea, a food crop providing much-needed, inexpensive protein to farmers and consumers. Various approaches to controlling this pest have been tried, including cultural management, host plant resistance and use of synthetic and botanical pesticides, all with limited success. In this review we present information on the distribution, morphology, molecular characteristics, behavior and host plants of M. vitrata. We give especial attention to innovative management tactics being developed for West Africa, including genetically engineered Bt cowpea, new biopesticides and use of exotic parasitoids. We discuss research needs for enhancing integrated pest management (IPM) for M. vitrata in Africa.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the USDA-FAS Borlaug Fellowship program (BFP) Grant 106117 in-aid to the first author to work with mentors J. Huesing and LL Murdock. We are also grateful to Purdue University International Programs in Agriculture (IPIA) and the Department of Entomology who hosted the first author to complete the BFP.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), BP 12404, Niamey, Niger

    N. M. Ba

  2. Department of Entomology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    J. E. Huesing & L. L. Murdock

  3. Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles, Kamboinsé, Burkina Faso

    C. L. Dabiré-Binso

  4. International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Cotonou, Benin

    M. Tamò

  5. Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

    B. R. Pittendrigh

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  1. N. M. Ba
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  4. M. Tamò
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  5. B. R. Pittendrigh
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  6. L. L. Murdock
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Correspondence to B. R. Pittendrigh.

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Ba, N.M., Huesing, J.E., Dabiré-Binso, C.L. et al. The legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata Fabricius (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), an important insect pest of cowpea: a review emphasizing West Africa. Int J Trop Insect Sci 39, 93–106 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-019-00024-7

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