Distribution and damage characteristics of an emerging insect pest of cashew, Plocaederus ferrugineus L. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) In Nigeria: A preliminary report

Among the numerous insect pests infesting cashew in Nigeria, the cashew trunk and root borer, Plocaederus ferrugineus L. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is fast becoming the most dreaded because itsinfestation results in the sudden death of the tree within weeks. Observations at Ochaja in 1999/2000 and at Ibadan in 2005 of “sudden death” of mature cashew trees within few weeks of infestation were indications of emergence of new pest of cashew in Nigeria, which needs urgent investigation. Frass and gum exudates were collected from the trunk base of dead plants before they were cut down andexhumed carefully from the soil. Soil samples were collected from beneath the excavated roots. The bored holes on the trunk and roots were excised to expose their frass and gum contents. Both the frassand gum exudates collected from the base of the cashew trunk and those from excised trunk and roots together with the soil samples from beneath the excavated roots were thinly spread out in thelaboratory to search for the various life stages of the beetles. Brief description of the beetle’s life stages and parts of the infested/dead stands were made. The rate of infestation of cashew trees at Ibadan was18.13%, resulting in a death rate of 1.88% of trees, while the infestation rate at Ochaja was 13.3% with a death rate of 6.38%. The eggs were conspicuously absent at the time of this assessment as they had all emerged and developed into larvae, pupae and adults. The control of the pest at advanced stage of the larval development was very difficult; hence control measures were recommended to be initiated at early stage of infestation. Strict cultural practices gave desired results

X-ray Equipments and Accessories as possible Vectors of Nosocomial Bacteria in Anambra State, Nigeria.

Background of Study: Nosocomial infections have become a major challenge in health institutions, as they affect the quality of health care delivered. The radiology department is one of the mainstays of modern medicine. It is therefore necessary to assess its role in the spread of nosocomial infections.Aim: To assess the presence and specie of nosocomial bacteria on x-ray equipments and accessories as well as their prevalence in public and private hospitals in Anambra state.Method: Sterile swab sticks were used daily to swab the surfaces of selected x-ray equipments and accessories, at the close of work in public and private hospitals in Anambra State. MacConkey and Blood agar media were used to prepare the culture media. The prepared media were put in petri dishes andswab samples were inoculated onto the culture plates. Culture plates were then incubated for 24 hours, at a temperature of 37oc. Bacterial identification was done microscopically under bright light based on their colonial characteristics.Results: Bacteria were isolated in 43/50 (86%) samples collected. Bacteria isolated were; Staphylococcus aureus (36.1%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (22.7%), Proteus spp (7. 2%), Streptococcus (13. 4%), and Coliform spp. (20.6%). X-ray cassettes had the highest bacterial load followed by X-ray tube handles and couch.Conclusion: Radiology equipment and accessories in Anambra State have high bacterial load and therefore are potential sources of nosocomial infection

Farmers’ compliance with the use of approved cocoa pesticides in cocoa producing states of Nigeria

The survey evaluates the awareness and level of compliance in the use of approved cocoa pesticides by local farmers in selected cocoa producing states of Nigeria. Thirty farmers were randomly selected in Kwara, Ogun and Osun States. More than 70 percent of the farmers were aware of banned cocoa pesticides. The source of cocoa pesticides used by the farmers includes agrochemicals retailers, Cocoa traders, Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN), and Agricultural Development Programme (ADP). Ridomil plus (29.2 percent) was mostly known as banned cocoa pesticide by farmers in Ogun State while Gammalin 20 and Basudin were mostly known to the farmers in Osun and Kwara States. About 50 percent of farmers in Ogun, 8.0 percent in Osun and 8.3 percent in Kwara indicated that they were still using some of the banned chemicals due to their effectiveness in the control of pest and diseases and inexpensive. There should be adequate registration of all approved cocoa pesticides by concerned agency as well as enlightenment by extension agents to the cocoa farmers and the sellers and suppliers of the agrochemicals in each of the cocoa producing states of Nigeria. Banned agrochemicals should not be allowed into the country, monitoring group working in conjunction with Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) are to work out modality for the removal of banned chemicals in the market.Keywords: Cocoa pesticides, pesticide registration, radio and television, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN

Integrated production and protection practices of cashew (Anacardium occidentale) in Nigeria

The history of cashew in Nigeria dates back to 15th century. Then, it was mainly used in afforestation schemes for the control of erosion in the former Eastern Nigeria. However, commercial cashewplantations started in Nigeria in the early 1950s with the establishment of first commercial plantations at Oghe, Oji and Mbala by the defunct Eastern Nigeria Development Corporation (ENDC) and Iwo, Eruwaand Upper Ogun by the defunct Western Nigeria Development Corporation (WNDC). From these locations, the planting of the crop spread to other parts of Nigeria particularly the Central and NorthernStates of Nigeria. Cashew is an emerging commodity crop whose cultivation cuts across the seven agro-ecologies in Nigeria. In each of the 27 cashew producing states in Nigeria, the numerical strengthof the farmers is astronomically increasing, while the crop’s hectarage is correspondingly on the increase. Cashew was generally believed to be almost free from serious pest problems, until recentlywhen large plantations were established, resulting in the discovery of many insect pest and diseases attacking different parts of the plant. This therefore, necessitated a comprehensive evaluation ofcashew production and protection packages so as to ensure sustained interests in the crop’s cultivation and to encourage the prospecting cashew farmers

Evaluation of the toxicity of Actara 25 WG for the control of the cocoa mirid Sahlbergella singularis Hagl. (Hemiptera: Miridae) in Nigeria

In Nigeria, the brown cocoa mirid Sahlbergella singularis is responsible for over 30% yield loss in cocoa. Insecticides still remain a very important component among the strategies for effective controlof major insect pests of cocoa in Nigeria. The Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) has the “National Mandate” to evaluate and recommend new insecticides for use on cocoa in Nigeria. Themortality rates of mirids on exposure to the various concentrations (0.01, 0.013, 0.015 and 0.02%) of Actara 25 WG increased with period of exposure of the mirids in the laboratory. Both Actara and theStandard Miricide were similar at 0.020% concentration as both gave a 100% kill of mirids at the 90th min. No mortalities were recorded in control cages throughout the exposure period. The insecticide didnot produce any adverse side effects on cocoa seedlings and mature plants sprayed with the various concentrations over the years. The relative toxicity of the insecticide at the four different concentrationsto adult mirids, 24 h after the first field treatment application, was 93.3, 82.4, 81.8 and 100% adult mortality, respectively. In the case of the nymphal mirids, percentage mortality was 89.6, 81.5, 86.8 and94.3% for the various concentrations, respectively. The population of both the adult and nymphal mirids crashed to almost zero (0) in most cases suggesting about 100% mortality 24 h after the secondspraying on the residual mirid populations. Mirid numbers remained so low until the third spray application after which it was unnecessary to spray the sub-plots, thereafter. Spraying of mature andfruiting cocoa farms at application rate of 0.015% was found adequate and recommended taking into consideration the impact of the product on the environment and for economic reasons

The termicidal effects of Chlorpyrifos 48 EC, Endosulfan 35 EC, Dichlorvos 1000 EC and Diazinon 600 EC against termites in South-West Nigeria

Studies were carried out at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan to determine the efficacy of four insecticides (Chlorpyrifos 48 EC, Endosulfan 35 EC, Dichlorvos 1000 EC and Diazinon 600 EC) ontermites (workers and soldier castes). The results showed that for both topical and residual action tests, worker caste mortality rates ranging from 70 to 100% were recorded for Chlorpyrifos, Endosulfan,Dichlorvos and Diazinon at 0.063, 0.125, 0.25 and 0.5% treatment levels within 120 min after exposure (MAE). For the soldier caste, the mortality rate was between 10 and 70% at the same treatment levelswithin the same time interval. However, the insecticide concentrations had very low fumigant action against the termites (workers and soldiers) when exposed to different concentrations of their fumes. There was no mortality recorded in any of the control petridishes. A higher mortality of the soldier caste was recorded for the topical application (10 to 70%) than the residual application, which gave a better kill of the workers caste (90 to 100%) 120 MAE. The high death rate of the workers might be due to the fact that they were generally more active during foraging and thus more susceptible to the effects of theinsecticide either by contact or systemic actions. The fact that the workers have a lower surface area and body weight than the soldiers might have also contributed to their higher vulnerability to theinsecticides. The application of these insecticides at 0.25% active ingredient is adjudged the best due to the high mortality rate achieved. Also the application at 0.25% will help to maintain cost effectiveness ofthese insecticides and minimize environmental pollution, toxicity and phytotoxicity problems associated with pesticides

Evaluation of the toxicity of Actara 25 WG for the control of the cocoa mirid Sahlbergella singularis Hagl. (Hemiptera: Miridae) in Nigeria

In Nigeria, the brown cocoa mirid Sahlbergella singularis is responsible for over 30% yield loss in cocoa. Insecticides still remain a very important component among the strategies for effective controlof major insect pests of cocoa in Nigeria. The Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) has the “National Mandate” to evaluate and recommend new insecticides for use on cocoa in Nigeria. Themortality rates of mirids on exposure to the various concentrations (0.01, 0.013, 0.015 and 0.02%) of Actara 25 WG increased with period of exposure of the mirids in the laboratory. Both Actara and theStandard Miricide were similar at 0.020% concentration as both gave a 100% kill of mirids at the 90th min. No mortalities were recorded in control cages throughout the exposure period. The insecticide didnot produce any adverse side effects on cocoa seedlings and mature plants sprayed with the various concentrations over the years. The relative toxicity of the insecticide at the four different concentrationsto adult mirids, 24 h after the first field treatment application, was 93.3, 82.4, 81.8 and 100% adult mortality, respectively. In the case of the nymphal mirids, percentage mortality was 89.6, 81.5, 86.8 and94.3% for the various concentrations, respectively. The population of both the adult and nymphal mirids crashed to almost zero (0) in most cases suggesting about 100% mortality 24 h after the secondspraying on the residual mirid populations. Mirid numbers remained so low until the third spray application after which it was unnecessary to spray the sub-plots, thereafter. Spraying of mature andfruiting cocoa farms at application rate of 0.015% was found adequate  and recommended taking into consideration the impact of the product on the environment and for economic reasons

Short Communication - Maternal and fetal outcomes of obstructed labour cases in a tertiary health facility in Abakaliki, Nigeria

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Adaptive Measures for the Factors Affecting Marketing of Coffee (Coffea robusta Rio Nunes) in Kogi State, Nigeria

Kogi State is known as the major producer of Coffea robusta in Nigeria. Income generated from marketing of coffee in the State contributed to sustenance of livelihoods and development of communities. Currently, marketing of coffee is in a regretful state and stakeholders are abandoning the trade. The study therefore assessed the factors affecting marketing of coffee in the State. Primary data was collected through interviews and focus group discussion. Four major stakeholders were observed along the marketing chain of coffee in the study area; they included the farmers, local buyers popularly known as produce buyers, secondary processors, and exporters. The major challenges facing marketing of coffee in the study area was poor pricing and marketing systems; this is as a result of inappropriate processing method, lack of quality control and relevant information on improved coffee technologies. Farmers lamented that the abolition of Commodity Marketing Board has a great negative impacts on marketing of coffee in Nigeria. Intervention measures may include the introduction of local or national coffee quality control and certification systems; formation of the coffee producers' and marketers' cooperative society and the establishment of an effective local and export commodity marketing boards to protect farmers against price instability.Key words: Marketing chain, Commodity Marketing Board, quality control, poor pricin