African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6727

Full Length Research Paper

Long-term reduction in damage by rhinoceros beetle Oryctes rhinoceros (L.) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) to coconut palms at Oryctes Nudivirus release sites on Viti Levu, Fiji

Geoffrey O. Bedford
Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia. 
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 04 December 2013
  •  Published: 19 December 2013

Abstract

In 1972  to 1973 the non-endemic Oryctes Nudivirus (OrNV) was established at three sites on Viti Levu, Fiji, where the introduced rhinoceros beetle Oryctes rhinoceros was causing heavy damage to coconut crowns and frequently killing the palms. The establishment of OrNV, and its dissemination by adults, was followed by a marked reduction in the beetle population and damage. When re-surveyed 35 years later, damage was still at a low level. It is postulated that Oryctes Nudivirus is still helping to lower damage and manage O. rhinoceros populations at those sites.

Key words: Oryctes rhinoceros, Oryctes Nudivirus, coconut, Larvae, breeding site rhinoceros beetle.

Abbreviation

OrNV, Oryctes Nudivirus.

Copyright © 2023 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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