https://doi.org/10.4081/jear.2022.10424
Occurrence of the sweet potato hornworm Agrius convolvuli (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) in the Haut-Katanga province, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Submitted: 21 February 2022
Accepted: 31 August 2022
Published: 19 December 2022
Accepted: 31 August 2022
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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Agrius convolvuli (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) is a pest that feeds on young sweet potato leaves causing severe plant defoliation. This study was designed to report for the first time on the occurrence of the pest in the Haut-Katanga province in DR Congo. Survey and observations were conducted during the growing season in ten cities of the Haut Katanga province to detect the presence of A. convolvuli. Fifty-two sweet potato fields were inspected during the season. Larvae and pupae were collected in each city and reared in the laboratory at the University of Lubumbashi, DR Congo. Results revealed that the pest occurs in the province with Lubumbashi and Kasumbalesa being the most highly infested with 18.80±11.36 and 18.71±8.13% of infestation, respectively. The highest number of larvae per field and per plant was recorded in Lubumbashi alone with 18.80±8.04 and 3.80±1.48, respectively. Classification of sweet potato leaf damage indicated that Kasumbalesa, Sakania and Lubumbashi had high levels of damage. Positive relationships were observed between infestation rate and number of larvae per field (R2=0.3069; t=4.705; p<0.0001) but also between infestation rate and number of larvae per plant (R2=0.4478; t=6.368; p<0.0001). The findings of the current study suggest that A. convolvuli could be a potential threat to sweet potato production in the Haut-Katanga province.
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How to Cite
Ntambo, S., Cokola, M., Chiona, M., & Kankonda, O. (2022). Occurrence of the sweet potato hornworm <em>Agrius convolvuli</em> (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) in the Haut-Katanga province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Journal of Entomological and Acarological Research, 54(1). https://doi.org/10.4081/jear.2022.10424
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