Study on Insect Pest Infestation of Guinea Corn (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) Stored in Food Ware-Houses, Sokoto Metropolis, Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

Insect pest infestation is still considered a major agricultural problem affecting millions of farmers in developing countries causing a huge loss and damage tons of agricultural products.  A study was conducted to assess the rate of insect pest infestation of Guinea corn Stored in Food Ware-houses in Sokoto Metropolis Sokoto State-Nigeria. A total of three hundred and sixty (360) grain samples were examined for the infestation using compound light microscope and the result was analyzed using chi-square statistical test. The result of this study showed that 222/360 (61.67%) were positive for the 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 106/120 (83.33%) has the highest rate of the Infestation, followed by the middle location 72/120 (60.00%) and the least Infestation was recorded in the bottom location of the food ware-houses 50/120 (41.67%). There is also a significance difference between the infestation and locations were 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, 0.6 and 0.4 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. Improving 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.