Yede1*, Mahob2 Raymond Joseph, Akama3 Pierre Dieudonné, Mbenoun Masse1 Paul Serge, Mballa Ndzié1 Paul Arnaud, Ibrahim1 Housseinatou, Nkale Moukoudi Tonton1, Dimi Mvelé1 Pierre, Messie Djegome1 Mariam and Bilong Bilong2 Charles Félix
1Laboratory of Zoology, Department of Animal Biology and Physiology, University of Yaoundé I, P.O Box 812 Yaoundé-Cameroon; 2Laboratory of Parasitology and Ecology, Department of Animal Biology and Physiology, University of Yaoundé I, P.O Box 812, Yaoundé-Cameroon; 3Department of biological sciences, higher teacher training college, University of Yaoundé I, P.O Box 47 Yaoundé-Cameroon
Corresponding author E-mail: e * yede@facsciences-uy1.cm
Abstract
The knowledge of insect biodiversity in general, and heteropteran species in particular under field conditions, which are needed to optimize the preservation of the entomofauna diversity sensu lato, especially endangered species in one hand, and the protection of cocoa-based agroforestry systems against their main insect pests on the other hand. For this reason, we are characterized the community of Heteropterans and their ecological status in 12 cocoa farms of three localities (Bokito, Obala and Ngomedgzap) in the Centre Region of Cameroon, using the Chemical Knock Down Method, relevant dichotomous keys and reference insect collections for insect’s identification and diversity indices: H’ index of Shannon-Weaver, J Equitability index of Pielou and Is Similarity index of Sorensen in 2023. A total of 4904 individuals were collected in all the studied cocoa farms, divided into 137 Heteropteran species, 90 genera and 16 familles. This insect community belong to four ecological groups: 11 (8% in the total) specimens were recognized as cocoa insect pests, 8 (6%) as predators, 13 (9%) as unknown and 105 (74%) as opportunistic. Compared to other ecological groups, insect pests were more abundant with 2664 (54.33%) up to 4904 individuals, followed by unknown 1725(35.17%), opportunistic 483(9,85%), then 32(0.65%) were predators. The abundance of insect pest varied from 2019 (41.17%) individuals for Sahlbergella singularis (Miridae) to 1 (0.02%) individual for Haliomorpha annulicornis (Pentamidae).The current study provides valuable data regarding heteropteran species biodiversity under field conditions in order to optimize the preservation of the entomofauna diversity sensu lato, especially endangered species in one hand; and improve sustainability in the protection of cocoa-based agroforestry systems against their main insect pests via the integrated pest management (IPM) programs in order to increase the annual cocoa farms yield i.e. the cocoa farmers’ incomes on the other hand.
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Keys words: Heteropteran biodiversity, ecological status, cocoa farms, Centre region of Cameroon, IPM