First Report of the Larger Grain Borer, Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) from Stored Maize in Ethiopia

Abstract

In Ethiopia, over nine million farmers produce maize on about 14% of the total land area. It serves as food and feed. Various arthropod pests destroy maize in traditional storage. Larger grain borer (LGB), Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) is a devastating storage pest that constrain stored maize in Eastern Africa and beyond. This study was aimed at surveying whether the LGB has been infesting stored maize in southern Ethiopia or not. Community based cross sectional survey was conducted in four purposively selected kebeles in Baka Dawula Ari District in South Omo Zone of South Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State. A total of three maize cobs were picked from each type of storage structure in three replications from every study Kebele. Then, the cobs were taken to the Laboratory of Entomology and Vertebrate Zoology of Arba Minch Plant Health Clinic and the pest species were identified by the use of binocular microscope. A total of 11 species of arthropod pests were identified from the stored maize. P. truncatus was found to be one of the most severely damaging of stored maize. This pest was recorded infesting maize grain in Ethiopia for the first time by this study. It is concluded that LGB has already entered into Ethiopia, it has already been established and it is devastating stored maize. Immediate integrated control of the LGB shall be implemented. A survey of countrywide geographical distribution of the LGB shall be held in order to design large-scale management practices of the pest.