Study on the Correlation of Insect Pest Infestation of Guinea Corn (Sorghum bicolor) Stored in Kasarawa and Kuffa Food Ware-Houses in Sokoto Metropolis, Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

Farming of Guinea corn in Sokoto is face with a lot of Crop protection problems which prevent full scale production of this crop in the state and Nigeria at large.  A study was conducted to assess the correlation of insect pest infestation of Guinea corn stored in Kasarawa and Kuffa Food Ware-houses in Sokoto Metropolis Sokoto State-Nigeria. A total of Two Hundred and Fourty (240) grain samples were collected and examined for insect pest infestation using compound microscope and the result was analyzed using Chi-square statistical tool. The result of this study showed that 172/240 (71.67%) were positive for insect pest infestation. There were significance difference between the infestation and nature of the food ware-house (P<0.05). The result of infestation in relation to the location were the samples are collected from the food ware-houses shows that, top location 71/80 (88.75%) has the highest rate of the Infestation, followed by the middle location 53/80 (66.25%) and the least Infestation was recorded in the bottom location of the food ware-houses 30/80 (37.50%). There is also a significance difference between the infestation and locations where the samples are collected from the food ware-house (P<0.05). Of the two species identified, Tribolium confusum is found in all the three food ware-houses with the frequency of 0.7 and 0.6 respectively while Tribolium casteneum was found only in Kuffa/Old Kara food ware-house with the frequency of 0.2. This may be related to the nature of food ware-houses. Used of resistance varieties, Improve sanitation, proper maintenance and fumigation of the food ware-house in and out during storage and while receiving new produce will help to reduce the rate of insect pest infestation in the study area, Sokoto State and Nigeria at large.