Authors : E.U. Asogwa , T.C.N. Ndubuaku and I.U. Mokwunye
Abstract: Studies were carried out on the distribution and frequency of occurrence of kola weevils Balanogastris kolae and Sophorhinus sp. across the kola belts of Nigeria. Kola pods and cured kolanuts were randomly sampled from 3 States and assessed using parameters such as percentage of nut infestation, mean number of emerged larvae and adult weevils per treatment, mean number of weevil exit holes on the nuts and mean number of nuts with colour changes. Generally, it was observed that the weevil distribution cuts across all the States where kola is produced, but at different levels of infestation. The mean numbers of weevils (both Balanogastris kolae and Sophorhinus sp.) sampled at the various locations were not significantly different (p>0.05), however, Balanogastris kolae were significantly (p<0.05) more abundant than Sophorhinus sp. A weevil infestation level of 100% was recorded after 3 months of storage of nuts selected from kola pods from the different zones as compared to the highest infestation level of 21.7% recorded for procured cured nuts. The low infestation level on cured kolanuts further confirms the fact that kola farmers and vendors still subject the nuts to chemical treatment for the control of kola weevils. There is therefore, an urgent need for an alternative means of protecting kolanuts from the weevils to be proffered and transferred to kola farmers and merchants.
E.U. Asogwa , T.C.N. Ndubuaku and I.U. Mokwunye , 2008. Occurrence of Storage Pests of Kolanuts Across the Kola Growing Belt of Nigeria. Agricultural Journal, 3: 258-262.