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Cabbage caterpillars in New Caledonia: integrated pest management project

P. Daly, C. Mille and L. Desvals

New Caledonian Agronomic Institute, Mt Dore, Boulari, New Caledonia 988
Corresponding author: daly@cirad.nc

Abstract

Several pest lepidopteran species have been identified in the archipelago. The most important is Plutella xylostella but, in some other biotopes (Loyalty Islands), Crocidolomia binotalis is frequently dominant. The other species are Hellula undalis, Chrysodeixis spp. and Helicoverpa armigera. The importance and the damage caused by these pests are outlined. With conventional chemical control, the farmers damage the environment, which is also risky for the consumers.

The project is the adjustment of the integrated pest management for our climatic conditions, including three coordinated operations: epidemiological studies of the pests, the determination of encountered parasitoids and predators, the evaluation of yield losses and efficacy of beneficial insects during a several-year long study. This part of the project has just begun and the first observations are given.

Introductions of parasitoids are projected during the next few years, with Diadegma spp., Cotesia plutellae and Oomyzus spp. For this operation, methods are described including field evaluations without pesticides during an all-year-round production system. The management of use of chemical control began several years ago (1994–1997) and some results have been published in a French journal “Phytoma”. The chosen active ingredients are environmentally safe and not harmful to beneficial insects. For the moment, the active ingredients being tested are biological ones such as azadirachtin.

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