MAIZE CATERPILLARS MIGHT INCREASE POVERTY IN THE EC

Insect pests, especially major pests of cereal crops in sub-Saharan Africa, cause significant losses to cereal production at local and global scales according to the Walter Sisulu University study.

The major pests associated with cultivated grain cereals and alternative wild host plants were identified at three elevation gradients in the former Transkei area of the Eastern Cape Province.
 
Researcher, Sandile Mdazu, said, “There are many factors influencing the occurrence of a particular Insect species on a given area, these include climate, misuse of pesticides (chemicals used to control pests) and improper farming methods.”
 
Stem borer sampling was undertaken during maize crop and non-crop seasons in Port St Johns, Mthatha and Elliot, sites that differ in elevation above sea level, annual precipitation and temperature.
 
Six types of maize caterpillars were collected during the study, however these maize caterpillars were not all visible in one area. 
 
“These are the common maize pests in the studied area, as such subsistence farming may not run smooth as a result of this insect pest, which could lead to an increase in the rate of poverty as some of the households rely on crop they produce to generate income,” added Mdazu.
 
According to the study, this pest is capable of destroying tons of maize, it could exacerbate the poverty in the province if not controlled in time.
 
“Subsistence farmers should be taught on how to deal with this insect since it spends the entire destructive stage inside the maize stalk which makes it difficult to control using chemicals,” said Mdazu . 
 

Species richness and abundance across study sites were not statistically significant. The study provides information on borer species occurrence in the study area, and techniques to identify larval stages for effective control by local farmers and extension workers

.