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Assessment of Damage and Losses to Cassava Chips by the Larger Grain Borer; Prostephanus truncatus (Horn.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) in Wukari Taraba State

This study determined the effects of cassava chips percentage damage, quantity of powder produced, products weight losses and number of adults emerged over a storage duration of 30, 60 and 90 days after infestations (DAI), with initial adult P. truncatus, 5, 15, 25 and 35 insects per 250 grams of cassava chips weight. These parameters showed significant relationships with what was obtained in most studies over the storage duration and the initial P. truncatus densities in small holder cassava storage to buffer gains as post-harvest activity. The temperatures 30-37 o C and 68-92% r.h., favor susceptibility of the larger grain borer obtainable in the experimental laboratory. The pest breeds well, with high survival and increased damage to the commodity. This could be attributed to the starch content and the processed status of the cassava roots into chips with lowered cyanogenic content and lowered moisture regime. Keyword: Losses, Cassava chips, Prostephanus truncatus, and Storage durations. 1.0 INTRODUCTION Cassava Manihot esculenta Crantz ( Euphorbiaceae) constitutes a major source of dietary energy for over 500 million people in the world (Osei et al., 2009). In Africa, it is mostly used for human consumption and commercially for the production of animal feeds and starch based products. Cassava is primarily a source of carbohydrate and contains very little fat or protein. It plays a major role in the diets of the sub-region and contributes significantly towards effort to alleviate food crisis in Africa. Furthermore, this is because of its efficient production year round and availability, tolerance to extreme drought and suitability to the peasant farming system on the continent (Hodges et al., 2003). It has been reported that over half of the world’s cassava is produced in the humid and sub-humid tropics of sub-Saharan Africa (IITA, 2000). The larger grain borer (LGB), Prostephanus truncatus (Horn, 1878) is a major pest of cassava and other stored products. It causes damage to dried cassava chips by converting the stored dried chips to flour, and contaminates chips with frass and cadavers. Dried cassava chips are highly susceptible to attack by this insect (Tefera et al. 2011). In Africa where subsistence agricultural and livestock production supports the livelihood of majority of the population, yield losses caused by storage pests such as the LGB threaten food security. Insect damage in stored products is a serious problem in developing countries due to favorable climatic conditions and poor storage structures (Birkinshaw et al., 2004; Mautinte, et al., 2014). LGB remains a quarantine threat to cassava chips, maize and other stored products in the developing regions of the world. The phyto-sanitary measures that should be taken against Prostephanus truncatus in international trade have been reviewed by (Tyler and Hodges, 2002). International Journal of Innovative Agriculture & Biology Research 6(2):1-6, April-June, 2018 © SEAHI PUBLICATIONS, 2018 www.seahipaj.org ISSN: 23542934