INFLUENCE OF TRAPPING OF THE BANANA WEEVIL, COSMOPOLITES-SORDIDUS (GERMAR 1824) ON ROOT-LESION NEMATODE, PRATYLENCHUS-GOODEYI (SHER AND ALLEN 1953) POPULATION-DENSITIES AND SUBSEQUENT BANANA YIELD

Influence of trapping of the banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus usin g split pseudostem traps on the yield of banana cultivar, ''Nakyetengu (AAA-EA)'' and populations of the lesion nematode, Pratylenchus goode yi was studied in western Kenya. Trapping of weevils using split pseud ostem traps over a two year period brought 47% reduction in weevil num bers and 31% increase in banana yields. However, the yields obtained i n the weevil trapped plots were far below the potential yield of the c ultivar, ''Nakyetengu''. High buildup of P. goodeyi populations record ed in weevil trapped plots was considered responsible for low yields e ven after trapping weevils.