The ecological niches of Sesamia inferens Walkerand Argyroploce schistaceana Snellen and their interspecific competition on sugarcane
Author of the article:LUO Zhi-Ming SHEN Ke HUANG Ying-Kun** LI Wen-Feng YIN Jiong ZHANG Rong-YueWANG Xiao-Yan SHAN H
Author's Workplace：Sugarcane Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Kaiyuan 661699, China
Key Words：Sesamia inferens Walker, Argyroploce schistaceana Snellen, population dynamics, niche, interspecific competition
Abstract：[Objectives] To determine the ecological niches of Sesamia inferens and Argyroploce schistaceana and the level of interspecific competition between these species on sugarcane. [Methods] Dead sugarcane hearts caused by S. inferens and A. schistaceana were investigated at the seedling stage. The ecological niches and interspecific competition of these two species on sugarcane were determined based on niche theory. [Results] Over 60% of S. inferens larvae bored aboveground parts of sugarcane seedlings whereas over 90% of A. schistaceana lavae bored underground and surficial sites. S. inferens had a broader temporal niche breadth than A. schistaceana, and had a spatial niche breadth equivalent to that of A. schistaceana. A high niche similarity was found between S. inferens and A. schistaceana. The highest interspecific competition coefficient was 0.7472. [Conclusion] There is intense interspecific competition between S. inferens and A. schistaceana on sugarcane seedlings.