Damage associated with the african rice gall midge (AFRGM), Orseolia oryzivora Harris and Gagne (Diptera : Cecidomyiidae) in an integrated cropping system at Bama, Western Burkina Faso

Orseolia oryzivora is a major insect pest of rice in Burkina Faso. This study aimed at assessing the incidence of this pest on an integrated irrigated rice cropping system in Bama, western Burkina Faso. The work was carried out during two consecutive wet cropping seasons, 2020 and 2021. The experiment was conducted using a randomized split-plot design in a latice design. The main plots (MP) were divided into secondary plots, made up of a combination of two factors: two rice varieties (FKR64 and Orylux6) and four types of crop management before rice (Mucuna, cowpea forage, organic matter and a no-crop control); the third factor, mineral fertilization (F0, F1, F2, F3) was distributed in secondary plots (SP). Weekly entomological assessments were carried out from day 28 after transplanting (DAT) to DAT 84. Symptoms of O. oryzivora damage were assessed during the vegetative and reproductive phases of rice and examined in the laboratory. Results showed that all rice varieties were infested with O. oryzivora. The higher amount of NPK, the higher the damage caused by the insect pest. The FKR64 variety recorded the highest average rate of pre-imaginal O. oryzivora populations. The results of this study could contribute effectively to the sustainable management of O. oryzivora in Bama.