Natural enemy abundance and activity in a maize-leucaena agroforestry system in Kenya

Published source details Ogol C.K.P.O., Spence J.R. & Keddie A. (1998) Natural enemy abundance and activity in a maize-leucaena agroforestry system in Kenya. Environmental Entomology, 27, 1444-1451.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use alley cropping Action Link

Use alley cropping

A randomised, replicated, controlled trial in 1992-1995 at two sites in Kenya (Ogol et al. 1998) found that alley cropping had mixed effects on parasitism and predation of the pest maize stem borer Chilo partellus in maize Zea mays plots. Egg predation was lower in alley cropped plots (approximately 24-31% eggs predated/plot) than controls without hedges (44%) over two cropping seasons, but egg parasitism was similar over three seasons. Parasitism of larvae and pupae was higher in alley cropped plots than controls (4-6.4% vs. 3.1% parasitism/plot) at one site, but the second site showed the reverse (1.2-9.8% vs. 17.5%). Stem borer larvae mortality was slightly higher in alley cropped plots (averaging approximately 18-24% larval mortality/plot) than controls (17.5%) at one site. Hedgerow spacing (width of alleys) had mixed effects. Green lacewing Chrysopa spp. (natural enemy) egg abundance was similar between treatments. White leadtree Leucaena leucocephala hedgerows were established in 1992 and were 1.5 m (two plots), 2.25 m (six plots) or 3 m (two plots) apart with one, two or three maize rows between hedges, respectively. One plot per site was maize-only. Hedges were cut before cropping and the cuttings were mulched. Plots were 18 x 12 m (five replicates) or 12 x 10 m (four replicates).