Norman Kamarudin

Potentials of using the pheromone trap for monitoring and controlling the bagworm, Metisa plana Wlk (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) on young oil palm in a smallholder plantation.

Abstract This study was carried out to investigate the potentials of using the pheromone trap for monitoring and controlling the bagworm, Metisa plana Wlk (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) on young oil palm in a smallholder plantation in southern Perak, Malaysia. Three types (Delta, Open-Delta, and Vane) of traps were evaluated with receptive virgin females as the pheromone sources. The Vane trap appeared to be most effective. Increase in pheromone sources resulted in more trap catches. The sticky Vane traps with receptive females showed potentials for mass trapping the bagworm, which resulted in reduced field population of bagworms.

Hymenopterous parasitoids associated with the bagworms Metisa plana and Mahasena corbetti (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) on oil palms in Peninsular Malaysia.

In Peninsular Malaysia, 18 species of hymenpterous parasitoids were reared either from the oil palm bagworms, Metisa plana Walker and Mahasena corbetti Tams, or from their parasitoids. Both Metisa plana and Mahasena corbetti share the common parasitoids Goryphus bunoh Gauld, Aulosaphes psychidivorus Muesebeck, Brachymeria carinata Joseph, Narendran & Joy, Eupelmus catoxanthae (Ferriere), Eurytoma sp., Sympiesis sp., Tetrastichus sp., and Aphanogmus thylax Polaszek & Dessart. Other parasitoids are associated with only one of the bagworm species: Paraphylax varius (Walker), Dolichogenidea metesae (Nixon), Elasmus sp., Nesolynx flavipes Ashmead, Pediobius anomalus (Gahan), Pediobius imbreus (Walker) and Teleopterus sp. from M. plana ; and B. lasus (Walker), B. lugubris (Walker) and P. elasmi Ashmead from Mahasena corbetti . A key to species is included and a table summarizing the host range and distribution records are listed from the Indo-Australasian region.

The effects of mortality and influence of pheromone trapping on the infestation of Oryctes rhinoceros in an oil palm plantation.

Abstract The infestation levels of O. rhinoceros were investigated in the oil palm trunk heaps in three replanting blocks (Blocks A, B and C) at Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia. These blocks had different densities of pheromone trapping: high (11 traps per ha, Block B), normal (1 trap per 2 ha, Block C), while no pheromone trapping was conducted in (Block A. Without pheromone trapping, the infestation levels of O. rhinoceros can reach a maximum density of between 25 to 50 individuals per m2 (IPMS). The O. rhinoceros population was still detected in the heaps up to more than two years (at 26 months after replanting). With high density trapping, infestation levels were maintained below 10 IPMS and was not detected in the heaps after a period of 16 months of replanting. In the normal trapping density, the population was also maintained below 10 IPMS but had sustained itself in the heaps for up to 24 months. The mortality factors associated with the larval stages sampled within these replanting blocks was determined by visual symptoms with subsequent verification with microbial analysis. The analysis was narrowed down to detect only bacteria (Bacillus thuringiensis and B. popillae), virus (Oryctes virus) and fungus (Metarhizium). In Block A, the population of O. rhinoceros in the trunks was reduced drastically at 14 months after replanting (MAR), which could be due to the high mortality (88%) of the third instar larvae, 3 months earlier. In Block B, the percentage mortality for the larval stage was always highest at the third instars (between 21–82%). In Block C however, the mortality of the third instars was low, never exceeding 35%. In these sampling blocks, the infection of Metarhizium seem to be less dominant compared to virus or bacteria The k factor analysis indicates density dependence among the third instar larvae had contributed to the change in its population density in Block A. Therefore, with proper manipulation of pheromone traps and targeted application of disease agents (i.e virus, fungus and bacteria), the population of O. rhinoceros can be managed more effectively in an oil palm replanting.

An in vitro study of the antifungal activity of Trichoderma virens 7b and a profile of its non-polar antifungal components released against Ganoderma boninense

Ganoderma boninense is the causal agent of a devastating disease affecting oil palm in Southeast Asian countries. Basal stem rot (BSR) disease slowly rots the base of palms, which radically reduces productive lifespan of this lucrative crop. Previous reports have indicated the successful use of Trichoderma as biological control agent (BCA) against G. boninense and isolate T. virens 7b was selected based on its initial screening. This study attempts to decipher the mechanisms responsible for the inhibition of G. boninense by identifying and characterizing the chemical compounds as well as the physical mechanisms by T. virens 7b. Hexane extract of the isolate gave 62.60% ± 6.41 inhibition against G. boninense and observation under scanning electron microscope (SEM) detected severe mycelial deformation of the pathogen at the region of inhibition. Similar mycelia deformation of G. boninense was observed with a fungicide treatment, Benlate® indicating comparable fungicidal effect by T. virens 7b. Fraction 4 and 5 of hexane active fractions through preparative thin layer chromatography (P-TLC) was identified giving the best inhibition of the pathogen. These fractions comprised of ketones, alcohols, aldehydes, lactones, sesquiterpenes, monoterpenes, sulphides, and free fatty acids profiled through gas chromatography mass spectrometry detector (GC/MSD). A novel antifungal compound discovery of phenylethyl alcohol (PEA) by T. virens 7b is reported through this study. T. virens 7b also proved to be an active siderophore producer through chrome azurol S (CAS) agar assay. The study demonstrated the possible mechanisms involved and responsible in the successful inhibition of G. boninense.

Preliminary observations on a field population of the oil palm-pollinating weevil Elaeidobius kamerunicus in Benin City, Nigeria

Anthesizing male inflorescences of oil palms were randomly sampled for the oil palm-pollinating weevil Elaeidobius kamerunicus at the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) (field 56) in Benin City, Nigeria from March to September 2002. The weevils were counted and later examined for nematodes. There were no significant differences in the mean number of adult weevils sampled from various positions on the inflorescences, but there were significant differences in their mean numbers sampled on the various dates (P = 0.001). Microscopic examination of adult weevils indicated that nematodes are associated with the weevils and the spikelets. This preliminary survey indicates that E. kamerunicus is a major insect pollinator of the oil palm in NIFOR oil palm plantations. Its association with parasitic nematodes may have a bearing on the weevil’s pollination efficiency. These findings will help in understanding further the factors that govern pollination efficiency, percent fruit set and the occurrence of seasonal peaks in yields of fresh fruit from Nigerian oil palms.RésuméUn échantillonnage au hasard du charançon pollinisateur Elaeidobius kamerunicu a été réalisé dans les inflorescences mâles de palmier à huile à l’Institut Nigérian de recherche sur le palmier à huile, à Benin City, au Nigéria de mars à septembre 2002. Les charançons ont été dénombrés puis disséqués pour la recherche de nématodes parasites. Le nombre moyen de charançons adultes échantillonnés ne varie pas selon la partie de fleurs échantillonnées mais il varie selon la date (P = 0.001). L’examen microscopique des adultes révèlent que les nématodes sont associés aux charançons et aux bractées. Cette étude préliminaire montre qu’E. kamerunicus est le plus important insecte pollinisateur du palmier à huile dans les plantations de palmier de la NIFOR. Son association avec les nématodes parasites doit avoir une relation avec son efficacité de pollinisation. Ces résultats devraient permettre de mieux comprendre les facteurs impliqués dans l’efficacité de la pollinisation, le pourcentage de régimes et les pics saisonniers de production de fruits frais des palmiers à huile du Nigeria.