The effect of plant architecture of open-pollinated and hybrid varieties of maize on their attractiveness to ant predators of termites

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Namulonge Agricultural and Animal Production Research Institute during the short rains in 1998 to assess the effect of maize plant architecture on the activity of some termite predators. Nine varieties consisting of four Uganda hybrids, one local cultivar (Ekwakoit) from Serere, eastern Uganda, one Kenyan open-pollinated variety (Katumani), a Ugandan line (LP 16), Kawanda composite and Longe-I were used in the study. The activity of two ant species Odontomachus haematoda and Lepisiota sp. was significantly higher (Ps 0.05) in varieties characterised by an erect leaf system than varieties with decumbent leaf arrangement. The activity of O. haematoda had a positive correlation (r² = 0.72; P<= 0.05) at mid-day sampling and during late evening sampling (r²= 0.83). Maize stem base wetness was observed to be a result of stem flow of water (accumulated dew) from the erect leaf axils to the soil at the base of the plant. Results of the study indicate the potential of exploiting indigenous predators in combination with host plant characteristics in the management of termites and possibly other soil pests of maize.