Insect abundance and diversity in irrigated sugarcane in South Africa: Insights from a multi-sampling method study

Title : Insect abundance and diversity in irrigated sugarcane in South Africa: Insights from a multi-sampling method study

Abstract:

Sugarcane is an important crop in South Africa and internationally. This crop is subjected to agricultural practices which influence the diversity and abundance of insects associated with it. Information on the insects associated with sugarcane is essential for implementing management strategies. Pitfall, yellow sticky, and water pan traps were used to assess the arthropod diversity and abundance within a conventional irrigated sugarcane field in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. Overall, 22 309 insects belonging to 14 insect orders and 94 families were collected. The most abundant orders were Diptera (40.8%), Hemiptera (29.4%), and Hymenoptera (15.5%). The insects that contributed the most to the overall insect abundance belonged to the family Cicadellidae (Hemiptera) with 20.8%, Hybotidae (Diptera) with 18.3%, and Formicidae (Hymenoptera) with 12.4%. Non-parametric analysis of similarities showed a difference in the species composition of insects sampled with the different sampling methods, highlighting the importance of using a combination of sampling methods in assessing the diversity of insects within sugarcane fields. The study forms an updated baseline for arthropod diversity and abundance associated with conventional sugarcane in South Africa.

Biography:

Dr Malinga is a Research Entomologist at the South African Sugarcane Research Institute. He is currently the Project Manager for the sterile insect technique for eldana as well as the diversity and abundance projects. From 2005 to 2020, Dr Malinga worked as a Research Entomologist and later headed the Entomology and Nematology Departments for Agricultural Research Council Crops. His duties and responsibilities included designing and executing scientific research as well as training farmers and extension officers in South Africa, Zambia, and Malawi. Dr Malinga was also a Project Manager for sustainable rural livelihood projects in KZN, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga, funded by DRDLR. He successfully managed and completed 5 projects valued at over R 90 million. He further holds a PhD in Entomology and is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He is currently a Reviewer for Crop Protection Journal, South African Journal of Agricultural Extension Journal, American Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, and IntecOpen Book Publisher. He was also a Southern and Eastern African Cotton Forum Coordinator and currently serves on the Advisory Board Member for Biological Sciences at the University of Free State. Dr Malinga is also a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Modern Agriculture and Biotechnology and the International Journal of Applied Agricultural Sciences. With over 20 publications, he currently supervises 5 Masters and a PhD students.