Control of <i>Oryctes</i><i> </i><i>monoceros</i><i> </i>on Date Palm Field in Sudan-Savannah Vegetative Zone of Nigeria

Abstract

<i>Oryctes</i><i> monoceros</i> is a serious pest of Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L<i>.)</i><i> </i>and accounts for 40% of losses in production every year. Because of the seriousness of the damage caused by this pest much time, energy, labour, money and other resources are employed to control the pest throughout the year. In addition to these losses, when these resources are quantified, it reduces the income that accrued to the farmers thereby making the Date palm industry unattractive. This research was designed to determine the frequency and distribution of <i>O</i><i>.</i><i> monoceros</i> infection in a year, so that a better pest management practice can be put in place to arrest the situation and also reduce the resources used to control the pest thereby increasing the farmers’ income. The research was conducted in NIFOR, Date palm Sub-station, Dutse, Jigawa State, Nigeria. The result shows two peaks from April to June and the other from August to November with the crest occurring in October. With this kind of graph, the farmer can concentrate his/her energy and resources at these two peak periods and relaxed at other lower level of the graph that coincided with the period between December to March and the month of July every year. This will help the farmers to plan a better <i>Oryctes</i><i> monoceros</i><i> </i>management thereby reducing the damage caused by <i>O.</i><i> monoceros</i> and at the same time reduce the cost of resources used on the Date palm farm, thereby increasing the yield and income for the farmers.