Abstract:
The banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an important pest of
highland banana in East and central Africa. It causes yield loss of up to 100% in heavily infested fields.
Studies were carried out in Uganda to evaluate the efficacy of the the plant base incision trap in
attracting C. sordidus and to determine the potential of using the trap in enhancing dissemination of the
entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana for the pest control. Field experiments were carried out in
an established banana field of C. sordidus susceptible East African Highland Banana cultivar, Nabusa
(AAA-EA). There were significantly more weevils recaptured in the incision trap (14.4%) than the
conventional pseudostem trap (4.7%). After laboratory incubation, more weevils died due to pathogen
infection from plots where the incision trap was used in combination with B. bassiana (25.9%)
compared to where the pathogen was applied around the plant base without the incision (15.9%).
Weevils showing signs of mycosis were recovered at 6 and 9 m from the pathogen release point,
suggesting that the weevils can pick the pathogen from the aggregation point and disperse it. This data
demonstrates that the incision trap is more attractive to C. sordidus than the conventional pseudostem
trap and might be used to enhance dissemination of B. bassiana among adults.