Infestation of Some Crops by Termites (Order: Isoptera) in Selected Areas of Zuru Local Government, Kebbi State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the incidence and effect of termites infestation of agricultural crops (Order: Isoptera) in Zuru Local Government Area, Kebbi State. The objectives are to determine socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, termite infestation and most effective control measure. Data obtained from questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean and percentages. Results revealed that majority of the respondents (53 percent) are men, high proportion of them (39 percent) are within 18-30yrs), most which (48 percent) of the respondents are married and (47 percent) had formal education, (55 percent) are farmers, while 52 percent of the respondents had farm size between 1-5 hectares, and 47 percent have 0-10 years of farming experience and 30 percent purchased their farm land the rest by inheritance and rent. The results also revealed that 56 percent of the respondents know termites as pests, 53 percent are aware that termites infest crops. It was also gathered that 40 percent sourced their information from friends and about 33 percent reported that termites attacked, 55 percent observed them to attack crops like rice, millet, maize and 47 percent observed that drought foster termites’ infestation meaning they are more active when the weather is hot. While in terms of control 44 percent of the respondents adopt chemical control and 37 percent adopt physical control, 47 percent observed chemical control to be more effective than the rest. Infestation reoccurrence by termite after chemical control shows that 56 percent observed non-reoccurrence. In conclusion majority of the respondents agreed that termites attack crops like rice, millet, maize sorghum and groundnut and all respondents used chemical and physical control measures and no reoccurrence of termites’ infestation after chemical control in most areas, because it is more effective.