KIPKORIR SIGEI WESLEY A22/0002/2009 DEPARTMENT OF PLANT SCIENCE AND CROP PROTECTION

1. KIPKORIR SIGEI WESLEY A22/0002/2009 DEPARTMENT OF PLANT SCIENCE AND CROP PROTECTION PROJECT PROPOSAL IN EFFICACY OF METARHIZIUM ANISOPLIAE IN CONTROL OF RED SPIDER MITES (TETRANYCHUS URTICAE). SUPERVISOR: DR. FAITH TOROITICH, ENTOMOLOGY UNIT.

2. INTRODUCTION • Floriculture is ranked best sub sector in Kenya employing 2.5 M people directly and 3.5 M Indirectly (HCDA, 2011). . • Cut flower roses accounts 35% of horticulture exports ,mainly to Europe, South Africa and UK. • Rose GDP contribution would be greater if not hampered by pest, diseases and nutritional inefficiencies.(KNBS, 2008) Common pests: Spider mites, aphids, thrips, nematodes, rose midge, rose slugs, canker worms, and bollworms (Baker, 2009). Diseases: anthracnose, sooty molds, powdery mildews, downy mildew, black spot, rust, crown gall, grey mold and canker Market requirements are stringent with vehement compliance of stem quality and punitive consumer concerns which calls for biological in management of field and greenhouse pest and disease constraints.

3. Problem statement and justification • Control of Red spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) and diseases of roses in Greenhouse production has become hard to achieve due to controlled environment favoring specific pests and diseases above. • Hindrance, therefore, has caused dismal Marketing of roses and unable to meet standards of certain markets in E.U and other importers. • Chemicals on the other hand has brought problems on the pollution of the environment, has been resisted by the greenhouse pests, and most instances very expensive. • Justification : The very expensive chemicals, environmentally unfriendly residues and development of resistance by red spider mites force the farmers to indulge in biological pest control.

4. Objectives Broad Objective • To evaluate the efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae in control of red spider mites Tetranychus urticae in roses. Specific Objectives • To evaluate the specific rate of Metarhizium anisopliae, its effectiveness and importance it has on the yield. • To compare the effectiveness of Metarhizium anisopliae and chemical Dynamec on control of red spider mites (Tetranychus urticae).

5. Red Spider mites (Tetranychus urticae) • Classified in Phylum Arthropod and Class Arachnida. • Feed on most vegetables, food crops and ornamentals • These pests puncture rose leaves with their piercing, sucking, slender, pointed mouth and suck the sap. • Chemical control has been based on acaricides such as Abamectin, Ops, carbamates, sulphur based and pyrethroids • Cultural control Close planting, sweeping along the inter-rows, and carrying out field hygiene are crucial in controlling the mites but with limited success • Biological control with predatory mites e.g. Phytoseiulus, Amblyseiulus and pathogens have been a promising agents. • Metarhiziumspp have been used as bio-control agents and are a promising alternative to spider mites management.

6. Problem statement and justification • Control of Red spider mites and diseases of Roses in Greenhouse production is has become hard to achieve due to controlled environment favoring specific pests and diseases. • Hindrance, therefore, has caused dismal Marketing of roses and unable to meet standards of certain markets in E.U and other importers. • Chemicals on the other hand has brought problems on the pollution of the environment, has been resisted by the greenhouse pests, and most instances very expensive. • Justification : The very expensive chemicals, environmentally unfriendly residues and development of resistance by red spider mites force the farmers to indulge in biological pest control.

7. Materials and methods • The experiment will be conducted in the Greenhouse Campus Bloom. • Materials; rose plants new shoots, chemicals (Achieve and Dynamec ), three rates of Achieve is required as; 0.1L/ha, 0.5L/ha, 1L/ha. Strain of the fungus is ICIPE 78. • Dynamec contains A.I. Abamectin 18gms/ Litre, rate is O.5L/ha. It is obtained from Syngenta. • Achieve will be sprayed gently on the foliage of the rose foliage in the above rates. • Pretreatment data will be collected by counting the number of spider mites from the top , middle and the base of the rose plant leaflets using the hand lens.

8. TRIAL LAYOUT key T1- M. anisopliae (0.1l/ha); T2- M.anisopliae (0.5l/ha);T3- M.anisopliae (1.0l/ha); T4- Dynamec (0.5l/ha) std; control water.

9. Cont… • The design will be laid out in CRBD • Each plot has forty plants of roses; three plants will be chosen randomly per plot, and from each plant spider mites will be counted from the top, middle and bottom of the plant using the hand lens. Total number of plants sampled will be sixty . • Control plot will be sprayed with water. • Data will be analyzed using Genstat 13th Edition and means will be calculated using the same.

10. Work plan

11. References • Horticultural Crop Development Authority (HCDA, 2010) • Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS, 2008) • Wekesa V.W, N.K., Maniania, M.Knapp and H.I., Boga (2005).Pathogenicity of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae to the tobacco spider mites Tetranychus evansi • Nderitu, J.H., F.Olubayo, C.N. Waturu, J.,Aura and J.M.Kasina (2001) .Current French beans pests and diseases management in Mwea Tebere, Central Kenya • Pedigo. L.P. (2002) Entomology and Pest Management 4th Edition.