article · Bulletin of Entomological Research
Chelonus bifoveolatus is an egg-larval parasitoid identified as the most abundant natural enemy of the fall armyworm in Burkina Faso. Laboratory evaluations conducted in Bobo-Dioulasso examined the biological performance of this parasitoid on fall armyworm eggs laid on maize, millet, and sorghum leaves across different seasons. Parasitism rates ranged between 48% and 80%, with pupation rates reaching up to 99.43% and adult emergence rates between 27.60% and 84.91%. Development durations, sex ratio, and adult lifespan were also measured, showing a male-biased sex ratio of at least two males per female and an adult lifespan of approximately 10 to 13 days. Overall, biological performances did not vary substantially across the three host plants, but parasitoid activity was consistently better during the rainy season than during the dry season.
The fall armyworm causes widespread damage to essential cereal crops across Africa. Documenting the life cycle and parasitic success of Chelonus bifoveolatus on different staple crops provides foundational knowledge for developing natural pest management options. Understanding seasonal variations in parasitism helps determine when biological control interventions are most likely to be effective without relying purely on synthetic chemical pesticides.
This early-stage research provides baseline biological data that could eventually support the production of biological control agents for agricultural extension services and grain farmers. Because testing was conducted solely under laboratory conditions and revealed a pronounced male-biased sex ratio, substantial further development and field testing are required before mass rearing or commercial release programmes can be established.
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Abstract Several species of parasitoids associated with the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda , have been identified in Burkina Faso, among which Chelonus bifoveolatus , an egg-larval parasitoid, is the most abundant. This study was conducted in the region of Bobo-Dioulasso, Western Burkina Faso, from April 2023 to February 2024 under ambient laboratory conditions. The objective was to investigate the biological parameters of C. bifoveolatus reared on S. frugiperda on different host plants and at different periods of the year. Egg masses laid on maize, millet, and sorghum leaves were exposed daily to female parasitoids. The parameters studied included parasitism rate, cocoon formation rate, adult emergence rate, post-embryonic and cocoon development duration, sex-ratio, and lifespan. Parasitism rates varied between 48% and 80%, the pupation rate between 48.00% and 99.43% and the emergence rate between 27.60% and 84.91%. Post-embryonic development lasted between 14.18 ± 2.05 and 28.52 ± 2.87 days, while cocoon development ranged from 9.23 ± 1.18 to 21.29 ± 1.63 days. The sex ratio favoured males, with at least two males for every female. The adult lifespan ranged from 10.22 ± 3.74 to 13.34 ± 4.60 days. In general, performances did not vary much with host plants but were better during the rainy season than during the dry season. This study provides important information about C. bifoveolatus with a view to its use as a biological control agent of the fall armyworm.
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DOI: 10.1017/s0007485326101266
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