N Behary Paray1 and DE Conlong2
1Mauritius Cane Industry Authority, Mauritius Sugarcane Industry Research Institute, Réduit, Mauritius; nalini.beharyparay@msiri.mu
2Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Chilo sacchariphagus Bojer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a chronic pest of sugarcane in Mauritius, and serious localised infestations are frequent in the dry regions. From its recently confirmed presence in Mozambique, C. sacchariphagus also represents a biosecurity threat to the sugar industries of South Africa and neighbouring African countries. The potential to integrate a sterile-insect technique (SIT) as a sustainable and additional pest management tool to the well-established biological control programme in Mauritius is being investigated. The application of SIT needs the establishment of a cost-effective mass-rearing system, including the development of nutritious artificial diets, which will directly impact on the quality and competitive ability of the insects being reared. The Carcass Milling Technique (CMT) was assessed, as this technique was found suitable for the diet development of Eldana saccharina Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in South Africa. Following results obtained from the CMT, the focus shifted to testing other published diets and developing new formulations based on a review of all published artificial diets for the various Chilo species. Both the yield and quality of the insect stages for the different artificial diets were determined. Extensive testing through modifications brought to the original composition or preparation method led to the identification of promising diets.