Relationship Between The Black Cocoa Ant, Dolichoderus Thoracicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Cocoa Pod Borer, Conopomorpha Cramerella Snellen(Lepidoptera: Gracillarlldae) in a Cocoa-Coconut Ecosystem
The relationship between the black cocoa ant Dolichoderus thoracicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the cocoa pod borer Conopomorpha cramerella Snellen (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) was studied in a cocoa-coconut field. D. thoracicus was present in moderate to high abundance in the field at...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
1996
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10382/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10382/1/FP_1996_13_A.pdf |
| _version_ | 1848841408155222016 |
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| author | See, Yee Ai |
| author_facet | See, Yee Ai |
| author_sort | See, Yee Ai |
| building | UPM Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | The relationship between the black cocoa ant Dolichoderus thoracicus Smith
(Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the cocoa pod borer Conopomorpha cramerella
Snellen (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) was studied in a cocoa-coconut field. D.
thoracicus was present in moderate to high abundance in the field at the beginning of
the experiments. In one treatment, the D. thoracicus population was depressed with
insecticides (ant-scarce plots) and was augmented in the other treatment by the
provision of artificial nests and dried leaf shelters (ant-abundant plots). percentage of C. cramere/la infestation in ant-abundant plots was generally less than
50% while the reverse was true in ant-scarce plots. Even though there was no
significant difference in the percentage of pods which were infested and extractable as
well as partially extractable, the percentage of unextractable pods in ant-abundant
plots was significantly lower than in ant-scarce plots, indicating that D. thoracicus
reduced the severity of C. cramerella infestation. This difference was evident
throughout the trial. Mammalian damage was also more pronounced in ant-scarce
plots. In a survey of the relationship between D. thoracicus pod abundance and C.
cramerella infestation conducted within and outside the trial area, the two were found
to be negatively related. Pods within the trial plots also had less C. cramerella
damage compared to those outside the trial plots, indicating a possible attrition effect.
Pods from which D. thoracicus were deliberately excluded also had a higher incidence
of infestation compared to pods on which D. thoracicus was enhanced. Moderate D.
thoracicus abundance on pods was sufficient to prevent C. cramerella infestation.
The mechanism of control was probably deterrence of C. cramere/la oviposition. This
study shows that encouraging D. thoracicus is beneficial to cocoa as it reduces the
damage of two major pests, C. cramerella and mammals. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-15T07:42:46Z |
| format | Thesis |
| id | upm-10382 |
| institution | Universiti Putra Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-15T07:42:46Z |
| publishDate | 1996 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | upm-103822011-03-30T03:51:08Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10382/ Relationship Between The Black Cocoa Ant, Dolichoderus Thoracicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Cocoa Pod Borer, Conopomorpha Cramerella Snellen(Lepidoptera: Gracillarlldae) in a Cocoa-Coconut Ecosystem See, Yee Ai The relationship between the black cocoa ant Dolichoderus thoracicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the cocoa pod borer Conopomorpha cramerella Snellen (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) was studied in a cocoa-coconut field. D. thoracicus was present in moderate to high abundance in the field at the beginning of the experiments. In one treatment, the D. thoracicus population was depressed with insecticides (ant-scarce plots) and was augmented in the other treatment by the provision of artificial nests and dried leaf shelters (ant-abundant plots). percentage of C. cramere/la infestation in ant-abundant plots was generally less than 50% while the reverse was true in ant-scarce plots. Even though there was no significant difference in the percentage of pods which were infested and extractable as well as partially extractable, the percentage of unextractable pods in ant-abundant plots was significantly lower than in ant-scarce plots, indicating that D. thoracicus reduced the severity of C. cramerella infestation. This difference was evident throughout the trial. Mammalian damage was also more pronounced in ant-scarce plots. In a survey of the relationship between D. thoracicus pod abundance and C. cramerella infestation conducted within and outside the trial area, the two were found to be negatively related. Pods within the trial plots also had less C. cramerella damage compared to those outside the trial plots, indicating a possible attrition effect. Pods from which D. thoracicus were deliberately excluded also had a higher incidence of infestation compared to pods on which D. thoracicus was enhanced. Moderate D. thoracicus abundance on pods was sufficient to prevent C. cramerella infestation. The mechanism of control was probably deterrence of C. cramere/la oviposition. This study shows that encouraging D. thoracicus is beneficial to cocoa as it reduces the damage of two major pests, C. cramerella and mammals. 1996 Thesis NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10382/1/FP_1996_13_A.pdf See, Yee Ai (1996) Relationship Between The Black Cocoa Ant, Dolichoderus Thoracicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Cocoa Pod Borer, Conopomorpha Cramerella Snellen(Lepidoptera: Gracillarlldae) in a Cocoa-Coconut Ecosystem. Masters thesis, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia. Cocoa - Planting Coconut - Genetics English |
| spellingShingle | Cocoa - Planting Coconut - Genetics See, Yee Ai Relationship Between The Black Cocoa Ant, Dolichoderus Thoracicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Cocoa Pod Borer, Conopomorpha Cramerella Snellen(Lepidoptera: Gracillarlldae) in a Cocoa-Coconut Ecosystem |
| title | Relationship Between The Black Cocoa Ant, Dolichoderus Thoracicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Cocoa Pod Borer, Conopomorpha Cramerella Snellen(Lepidoptera: Gracillarlldae) in a Cocoa-Coconut Ecosystem |
| title_full | Relationship Between The Black Cocoa Ant, Dolichoderus Thoracicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Cocoa Pod Borer, Conopomorpha Cramerella Snellen(Lepidoptera: Gracillarlldae) in a Cocoa-Coconut Ecosystem |
| title_fullStr | Relationship Between The Black Cocoa Ant, Dolichoderus Thoracicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Cocoa Pod Borer, Conopomorpha Cramerella Snellen(Lepidoptera: Gracillarlldae) in a Cocoa-Coconut Ecosystem |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationship Between The Black Cocoa Ant, Dolichoderus Thoracicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Cocoa Pod Borer, Conopomorpha Cramerella Snellen(Lepidoptera: Gracillarlldae) in a Cocoa-Coconut Ecosystem |
| title_short | Relationship Between The Black Cocoa Ant, Dolichoderus Thoracicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the Cocoa Pod Borer, Conopomorpha Cramerella Snellen(Lepidoptera: Gracillarlldae) in a Cocoa-Coconut Ecosystem |
| title_sort | relationship between the black cocoa ant, dolichoderus thoracicus smith (hymenoptera: formicidae) and the cocoa pod borer, conopomorpha cramerella snellen(lepidoptera: gracillarlldae) in a cocoa-coconut ecosystem |
| topic | Cocoa - Planting Coconut - Genetics |
| url | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10382/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10382/1/FP_1996_13_A.pdf |