Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Soil Pests of Groundnut in Sub-Saharan Africa—A Review

  • Mini Review
  • Published:
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Termites (Isoptera: Termidae), white grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) and millipedes (Myriapoda: Odontopygidae) are the major groups of soil pests that are widespread and of economic importance in groundnut production in sub-Saharan Africa. Other Coleopteran pests such as wireworms (Elateridae) and false wireworms (Tenebrionidae) are found to be of occasional importance. Farmers’ cultural practices such as improper application of organic manure, leaving crop residues in farms, delay in planting and harvesting, and abiotic factors such as rainfall and soil texture also influence soil pest occurrence and damage. Groundnut farmers in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa seldom apply effective control measures against soil pests. This paper reviews the major soil pests of groundnuts and their damage, and discusses adopted control practices and their applicability in integrated pest management (IPM) modules, with an emphasis on the use of resistant groundnut varieties, cultural practices, botanicals and minimal application of synthetic insecticides.

Résumé

Les termites (Isoptère: Termitidae), les vers blancs (Coléoptère: Scarabaeidae) et les millipedes (Myriapode: Odontopygidae) sont les groupes majeurs des nuisibles du sol les plus répandus et économiquement importants en Afrique sous-sahara. Les autres Coléoptères identifiés, tels que les vulgaires de Taupins (Elateridae) et les Tenebrionidae sont occasionnellement importants. Les pratiques culturelles des cultivateurs tels que l’application incorrecte de fumure organique, l’abandonment de résidus des cultures aux champs, retardement du semis et de la récolte, ainsi que des facteurs environnementaux come la pluviométrie et texture du sol enfluencaient la presence et l’endommagement causés par les nuisibles du sol. La plupart des cultivateurs arachidiers en Afrique sous-sahara applique rarement les mesures de lutte contre les nuisibles du sol. Ce rapport explique les methodes de lutte adoptées contre les nuisibles du sol et propose leur incorporation dans la lutte intégrée avec un appui sur l’utilisation de la résistance variétale, les pratiques culturelles, les produits botaniques et l’application minimale des produits chimiques.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • [ARCM] (Agricultural Research Council of Malawi) (1971) Cloton Handbook of Malawi. 82 pp. Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Zomba, Malawi.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amin P. W. (1987) Advances in identification of stable sources of resistance to insect pests/vectors and their exploitation in groundnut improvement. Paper presented at the Annual Kharif Oilseed Workshop of Groundnut and Sunflower, Niger. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, India. 14 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amin P. W. and Mohammad A. B. (1982) ICRISAT’s research in groundnut entomology. Occasional paper. G. Ent. 82/1, 34 pp. Internatonal Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amin P. W., Singh K. N., Dwivedi S. L. and Rao V. R. (1985) Sources of resistance to the jassid (Empoasca kerri Pruthi), thrips [Frankliniella schultzei (Trybom)] and termites (Odontotermes sp.) in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.). Peanut Science 12, 58–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Appert J. (1966) Les insectes d’arachide de Sénégal. In Centre de recherches agronomiques de Bambey, Rapport Annuel, Bulletin 7, 67–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asafo-Adjei B., Marfo K. O. and Adu-Dapaah H. (1998) Groundnut production constraints in Ghana—A challenge to research, pp. 68–69. In International Arachis Newsletter No. 18 (Edited by F. Waliyar and V. C. Umeh). Summary Proceedings of the Fifth ICRISAT Regional Groundnut Meeting for Western and Central Africa, 18–21 Nov. 1996, Accra, Ghana. International Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bakhetia D. R. C. and Brar K. C. (1983) Seed treatment— a new and economical method to control white grub pest of groundnut. J. Soil Biol. Ecol. 3, 65–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blankenship P. D. R., Cole R. J., Sanders T. H. and Hill R. A. (1984) Effect of geocarposphere temperature on pre-harvest colonisation of drought-stressed peanuts by Aspergillus flavus and subsequent aflatoxin formation. Mycopathologia 85, 69–74.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carter F. C. and Mauldin J. K. (1981) Responses of Reticulitermes flavipcs to extracts from nine antitermic hardwoods. Marterial und Organismen 16, 175–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole R. J., Sanders T. H., Hill R. A. and Blankenship P. D. (1985) Mean geocarposphere temperatures that induce preharvest aflatoxin contamination of peanuts under drought stress. Mycopathologia 91, 41–46.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cowie R. H., Logan J. W. M. and Wood T. G. (1989) Termite (Isoptera) damage and control in tropical forestry with special reference to Africa and IndoMalaysia: A review. Bull. Entornai. Res. 79, 173–184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darlington J. P. E. C. (1985) Multiple primary reproductives in the termite Macrotcrmcs michaelseni (Sjöstedt), pp. 187–200. In Caste Differentiation in Social Insects (Edited by J. A. L. Watson, B. M. Okot-Kotber and C. Noirot). Pergamon Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Debrah S. K. and Waliyar F. (1998) Groundnut production and utilisation in West Africa: Past trends, productions and opportunities for increasing production, pp. 58–60. In International Arachis Newsletter No. 18 (Edited by F. Waliyar and V. C. Umeh). Summary Proceedings of the Fifth 1CRISAT Regional Groundnut Meeting for West and Central Africa, 18–21 November 1996, Accra, Ghana. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Demange J. M. (1975) Les Myriapode Diplopodes nuisibles à l’arachide au Sénégal. Oléagineux 30, 19–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Eeden C. F., Van Rensburg J. B. J. and Van Derlinde T. C. de K. (1991) A check list of insects occurring in groundnut (Aracliis hypogaea) fields in the Highveld region. Phytophytactica 23, 255–259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ella M. O. and Malaka S. L. O. (1977) Termite associations on the University of Ife Campus. The Nigerian Fields 42, 63–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feakin S. D. (1973) Pest control in groundnuts. Third edition. PANS Manual no. 2, Centre for Overseas Pest Research, London, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • [FAO] (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) (1996) Production Yearbook Volume 50, Food and Agriculture Organisation, Rome, Italy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forschler B. T. and Townsend M. L. (1996) Mortality of eastern subterranean termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) exposed to four soils treated with termiticides. J. Econ. Entomol. 9, 678–681.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gillon Y. and Gillon D. (1976) Comparaison par piégeage des populations de Diplopodes des luliformes en zone de végétation naturelle et champ d’arachide. Cah. ORSTOM, Sér. Biol. XI, 121–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Greaves T. and Florence R. G. (1966) Incidence of termites in blackbutt regrowth. Aust. For. 30, 153–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris W. V (1971) Termites. Their Recognition and Control. Second edition. Longmans, London, UK, 186 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hebblethwaite M. J. and Logan J. W. M. (1985) Report on a visit to Western Sudan to assess termite damage to groundnuts Aracliis hypogaea (Hedysarae). Overseas report assignment of project no. A1402/1403. Tropical Development and Research Institute, London. 71 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill R. A., Blankenship P. D., Cole R. J. and Sanders T. H. (1983) Effects of soil moisture and temperature on preharvest invasion of peanuts by the Aspergillus flavus group and subsequent aflatoxin development. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 22, 629–634.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillocks R. J., Logan J. W. M., Riches C. R., Russell-Smith A. and Shaxson L. J. (1996) Soil pests in traditional farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa—a review. Part 2. Management strategies. Int. J. Pest Manage. 4, 253–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • [IRHO] (Institut de Recherche pour les Huiles et Oléagineux), Departement Oléagineux Annuels (1982) Synthèse des travaux presentes sur la lutte contre les prédateurs et maladies de l’arachide. Oléagineux 37, 25–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson R. A. and Gumel M. H. (1981) Termite damage and crop loss studies in Nigeria—the incidence of termite-scarified groundnut pods and resulting kernel contamination in field and market samples. Trap. Pest Manage. 27, 343–350.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson R. A., Lamb R. A. and Wood T. G. (1981) Termite damage and crop loss studies in Nigeria—a survey of damage to groundnuts. Trop. Pest Manage. 27, 325–342.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin T. S. and Wang C. L. (1988) The anti-termite properties of extracts from Melia azedarach Linn. Bull. Taiwan For. Res. Inst., Nexo Series 3, 255–261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Logan J. W. M., Rajagopal D., Wightman J. A. and Pearce M. J. (1992) Control of termites and other soil pests of groundnuts with special reference to controlled release formulations of non-persistent insecticides in India and Sudan. Bull. Entomol. Res. 82, 57–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lynch R. E. (1990) Resistance in peanut to major arthropod pests. Florida Entomol. 73, 422–455.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lynch R. E., Ouedrago A. P. and Dicko I. (1986) Insect damage to groundnut in semi-arid tropical Africa, pp. 175–183. In Agrometeorology of Groundnut. Proceedings of International Symposium, 21–26 Aug., 1CRISAT Sahelian Center, Niamey, Niger. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malaka S. L. O. (1973) Observations on termites in Nigeria. The Nigerian Fields 38, 24–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathur R. N. (1962) Enemies of termites (white ants), pp. 137–139. In Termites in the Humid Tropics. New Delhi Symposium, UNESCO, Paris.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matthews G. A. (1989) Cotton Insect Pests and Their Management. Longman, Harlow, UK, 199 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mauries J. P. (1968) Spirostroptoidae (Myriapoda, Diplopoda) récoltés dans une parcelle expérimentale de l’institut de recherches agronomiques tropicale en Haute-Volta. Bull. Mus. Nat. Hist. Nat. 2e sér., 40, 984–991.

    Google Scholar 

  • May P. D. (1986) Controlled release pesticides control termites. Forestry Newsletter (Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research) 2, 4.

    Google Scholar 

  • McDonald D. and Harkness C. (1968) Aflatoxin in the groundnut crop at harvest in Northern Nigeria. Tropical Science 8, 146–161.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mercer P. C. (1978) Pests and diseases of groundnuts in Malawi III. Wilts, post-harvest, physiological and minor disorders. Oléagineux 33, 619–624.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perry D. (1967) Premature death of groundnut plants in Northern Nigeria. Experimental Agriculture 3, 211–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierrard G. (1972) Peridontopygines (Diplopodes, Odontopyges) de la zone soudano-sahélienne de l’Afrique de l’Ouest. Bull. Mus. Hist. Nat., Paris, 3e sér. 48, 753–762.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pierrard G. and Biernaux J. (1974) Note à propos des Diplopode nuisibles aux cultures tempérées et tropicales. Symp. Zool. Soc. London 23, 629–643.

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter D. M. Wright F. S. and Steele J. L. (1972) Relationship of shell damage to colonization of peanut seed by Aspergillus flavus. [Abstr.] Journal American Peanut Research Education Association 4, 207.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rao B. H. K., Narayana K. L. and Rao B. N. (1978) Whitegrub problem in Andhra Pradesh and their control, pp. 206–209. In Soil Biology and Ecology in India (Edited by C. A. Edwards and G. K. Veeresh). University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ripper E. E. and George L. (1965) Cotton Pests of Sudan. 345 pp., Blackwell, Oxford, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rossion J. (1974) La lutte chimique contre les Iules en culture arachidière. Synthèse des recherches effectuées par I’I. R. H. O. au Sénégal. Oléagineux 29, 365–370.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rossion J. (1976) Les iules, déprédateurs de l’arachide au Senégal: Résultats récent obtenus en matière de lutte chimique. Oléagineux 31, 327–333.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sanders T. H., Hill R. A., Cole R. J. and Blankenship P. D. (1981) Effect of drought on occurrence of Aspergillus flavus in maturing peanuts. Journal of American Oil Chemists Society 58, 966A–970A.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sands W. A. (1962) Observations on termites destructive to trees and crops in Nigeria. Northern Region Ministry of Agriculture. Samaru Research Bulletin 26, 1–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sieber R. (1985) Replacement of reproductives in Macrotermitinae (Isoptera, Termitidae), pp. 201–207. In Caste Differentiation in Social Insects (Edited by J. A. L. Watson, B. M. Okot-Kotber and C. Noirot). Pergamon Press, Oxford, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siva Rao D. V, Thippeswami M. and Murty P. S. S. (1984) Studies on field evaluation of insecticides on rainfed groundnut. Pesticides, pp. 35–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Umeh V. C. (1997) Aspects of socio-ecological studies of groundnut soil pests—Farmers’ perspective. International Arachis Newsletter 17, 42–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Umeh V. C. (1998) Soil pests of groundnut in West Africa —Case study of Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Nigeria, pp. 50–52. In International Arachis Newsletter No. 18 (Edited by F. Waliyar and V. C. Umeh). Summary Proceedings of the Fifth ICRISAT Regional Groundnut Meeting for West and Central Africa, 18–21 Nov. 1996, Accra, Ghana. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru India.

  • Umeh V. C. and Ivbijaro M. F. (1997) Termite abundance and damage in traditional maize- cassava intercrops in South western Nigeria. Insect Sci. Applic. 17, 315–321.

    Google Scholar 

  • Umeh V. C. and Ivbijaro M. F. (1998) Effects on termite damage to maize by seed extracts of Azadirachta indica and Piper guineense in farmers’ fields. J. Agric. Sci. Cambridge (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Umeh V. C, Waliyar F. and Traoré A. (1998) The influence of termite damage on Aspergillus infection of groundnut in Mali. Summary Proceedings of the Sixth ICRISAT Regional Groundnut Meeting for West an Central Africa, 5–8 October 1998, Bamako Mali. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru 502324 Andhra Pradesh, India (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Umeh V. C, Waliyar F., Traoré S. and Egwurube E. (1999) Soil pests of groundnut in West Africa—Species diversity, damage and estimation of yield losses. Insect Sci. Applic. 19, 131–140.

    Google Scholar 

  • Veeresh G.K. (1983) White grubs, pp. 253–301. In Applied Soil Biology and Ecology (Edited by G.K. Veeresh and D. Rajagopal). Sharada Publishers, Bangalore.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waliyar F., Ba A., Hamma H., Bonkoungou S. and Bosc J. P. (1994) Sources of resistance to Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxin contamination in groundnut genotypes in West Africa. Plant Disease 78, 704–708.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wardell D. A. (1987) Control of termites in nurseries and young plantations in Africa: Established practices and alternative courses of action. Commonwealth Forestry Review 66, 77–89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wightman J. A., Dick K. M., Ranga Rao G. V, Shanower T. G. and Gold C. G. (1990) Pests of groundnut in the semi-arid tropics, pp. 243–322. In Insect Pests of Tropical Food Legumes. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, England, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wightman J. A. and Wightman A. S. (1994) An insect, agronomic and sociological survey of fields in southern Africa. Agrie. Ecosyst. Environ. 51, 311–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wood T. G. and Cowie R. H. (1988) Assessment of onfarm losses in cereals in Africa due to soil insects. Insect Sci. Applic. 9, 709–716.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yayock J. Y. (1978) Groundnut, another bad year? Noma 1, 3–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yayock J. Y, Rossell H. W. and Harkness C. (1976) A review of the 1975 groundnut virus epidemic in Nigeria. Presented at the African Groundnut Symposium on Pests of Groundnuts and Millet in the Field, 21–23 Apr. 1976, Kaolak, Senegal. Samaru Conference Paper no. 9. Institute for Agricultural Research, Samaru, Zaria, Nigeria.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. V. C. Umeh, O. Youm & F. Waliyar

    Present address: Present address: National Horticultural Research Institute, P. M. B. 5432, Jericho Reservation Area, Ibadan, Nigeria

Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), B.P. 320, Bamako, Mali

    V. C. Umeh & F. Waliyar

  2. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) Sahelian Center, B.R 12404, Niamey, Niger

    O. Youm

Authors
  1. V. C. Umeh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. O. Youm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. Waliyar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. C. Umeh.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Umeh, V.C., Youm, O. & Waliyar, F. Soil Pests of Groundnut in Sub-Saharan Africa—A Review. Int J Trop Insect Sci 21, 23–32 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400020014

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400020014

Keywords

Mots Clés

Search

Navigation