Diversity and abundance of wild host plants of lepidopteran stem borers in two agro-ecological zones of Kenya

Abstract

A survey was carried out between 2005 and 2006 in two ecologically different localities, Suam and Mtito Andei, to assess diversity and abundance of wild host plants of lepidopteran stem borers during the cropping and non-cropping seasons. Suam in western Kenya is situated in the moist high tropics and is characterised by an Afromontane vegetation mosaic, while Mtito Andei is located in the dry mid-altitudes characterised by a Somalia Masai vegetation mosaic. In Suam, wild host plants and maize covered 11 and 50%, respectively, of the surveyed area. In Mtito Andei, 27% of the surveyed area was under maize during the cropping season, while wild host plant species covered 13% and 8% during the cropping and non-cropping seasons, respectively. There was no significant variation in the relative abundance and diversity of the wild grasses between the two seasons in either location. The abundance of host plants of B. fusca and C. partellus is low in natural habitats surrounding cereal crops. The abundance of C. partellus was low in its wild host plants and B. fusca was absent. Therefore, the role of wild vegetation surrounding cultivated areas in the carry-over of these pests during the non-cropping season is limited