Ant-hemipteran associations in a market-gardening based agro-system in a Yaoundé suburb, Centre Region (Cameroon)

Abstract

Tritrophic plant-hemipteran-ant relationships are poorly documented in tropical African market-garden agro-systems despite its agronomic importance. The present study aimed at characterizing ant-hemipteran associations on five market crop species at Nkolondom (north-western suburb of Yaoundé): Abelmoschus esculentus, Capsicum annum, Solanum lycopersicum, Solanum melongena and Solanum scabrum. From July to October 2013, twice per week, feeding activities of ants were examined and the occurrence of each ant/hemipteran association recorded per plant species. As result, ants preferentially harvested honeydew excreted by hemipterans. However, Myrmicaria opaciventris and Camponotus flavomarginatus also collected plant sap from wounded organs. Among hemipterans, Aphis fabae, Aphis gossypii, Aulacorthum solani, Macrosiphum euphobiae, scale insects and mealybugs were the most recurrent. The most frequent associations were M. opaciventris-A. fabae and C. flavomarginatus-A. fabae on S. scabrum, C. flavomarginatus-M. euphorbiae on S. lycopersicum, C. flavomarginatus-A. solani on C. annuum, M. opaciventris-A. gossypii and Technomyrmex sp.-A. gossypii on S. lycopersicum. Some moderately frequent associations viz. C. flavomarginatus-M. euphorbiae and M. opaciventris-M. euphorbiae were recorded on S. melongena. For these associations, highly significant and positive correlations was raised between ants' and aphids' populations, suggesting potential mutualistic interactions between the two taxa.

Biological diversity of arthropods associated with two varieties of pepper (<i>Capsicum annuum</i> L., 1753) at Nkolmelen (Yaoundé, Cameroon)

“…suggested the existence of a mutualistic relationship between the two groups. The hemipterans provided the honeydew as food to the ants and in turn the ants supplied protection to the former (Aléné et al, 2019b). The presence of Latrodectrus sp.…”

“…suggested the existence of predation relationships with hemipterans, thus protecting the plant from their attack. As the ants protected hemipterans, this predation was minimized so that hemipterans cold proliferate and reach high populations sizes on the studied pepper plants (Aléné et al, 2019b).…”