Impact of Cultural Practice on the Control of Cosmopolites sordidus in Banana and Plantain Communities in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area, Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

In a study of the assessment of the banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus in an environment that sustains high production of banana and plantain in Ondo State, Nigeria, low levels of C. sordidus population and infestation were discovered. Population surveys of the weevil were conducted in randomly selected crop plots near living homes (< 500m) and far from living homes (> 500m). Investigation was done by the use of trapping systems, dissections of cut decaying pseudo stems and culturing of immature stages of insects to adulthood. A total number of 23 C. sordidus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) were collected from 50 sampled plots that showed 10% infestation. Number of near – living home infested plots 2 (4%) did not significantly differ (P > 0.05) from number of far-from living home 3 (6%) infested plots. The result of this study also showed that the number of the pest found in banana and plantain crops in plots near living homes 11 (47.83%) did not significantly differ (P > 0.05) from those in plots far from living homes 12 (52.17%). This suggests that site of crop plot has no obvious impact on the prevalence of C. sordidus in banana and plantain communities. In this study, the relationship between backyard / kitchen waste and the population of C. sordidus needs further investigation while the low population and infestation levels recorded strongly indicate cultural practice effect.

Key words: Banana weevil, high production, population, living homes, trapping systems.