A review of management of major arthropod pests affecting cassava production in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Cassava is a tuberous root crop that can maintain food and nutrition security, improve family and household incomes and minimize the adverse effects of climate change especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). According to projections, cassava will probably be adaptable to stressors associated with current climatic changes, with expected improved production in SSA. Despite this positive outlook, the crop will still be more susceptible to arthropod pests including thrips, weevils, hornworms, whiteflies, stem borers, mealybugs, lacebugs, mites, grasshoppers among others that cause direct and indirect damage lowering its yield. A plethora of strategies ranging from monitoring, prevention, cultural, phytosanitation, use of insecticides, biological, clean seeds systems and host-plant resistance as well as a combination of two or more of these approaches through integrated pest management have been deployed to control these arthropod pests. This article review recent data on the damaging effects of these pests on cassava productivity and control strategies deployed in SSA to mitigate their impacts. Further, the review explores other management approaches that could be adopted for cassava pests’ management in SSA. The herein consolidated information will benefit cassava farmers, scientists, breeders, policy makers and other stakeholders involved in cassava value chain for improved and sustainable cassava production in SSA.