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The cocoa mirid (Hemiptera: Miridae) problem: evidence to support new recommendations on the timing of insecticide application on cocoa in Ghana

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Abstract

The government’s cocoa spraying gangs in Ghana treat about two million hectares of the crop against black pod disease and mirids, the key insect pests of cocoa in West Africa, each August through to December, based on recommendations issued in the 1950s. A few cocoa farmers use additional pesticides. We studied the temporal distribution of two important mirid species, Distantiella theobroma (Dist.) and Sahlbergella singularis Hagl., in 1991, 1999, 2003 and 2012 to determine the appropriate timing for the application of control measures in current farming systems. There was a significant correlation between mirid abundance and pod availability on trees, as well as the number of basal shoots and the cocoa variety grown. Mirid populations peaked between January and April and from September to October. Surveys (interviews and focus group discussions involving over 300 farmers in 33 cocoa-growing districts) on pesticide use, sources of recommendations, and perceived successes and failures of current cocoa pest treatments suggested that the 1950 recommendations on the timing of insecticide application need revising.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, PO Box 8, Tafo-Akim, Ghana

    Richard Adu-Acheampong, Anthony Richmond Cudjoe, Victress Johnson & Kwasi Ofori-Frimpong

  2. Chair Group Knowledge, Technology and Innovation, Wageningen University, PO Box 8130, 6700 EW, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Janice Jiggins

  3. Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, PO Box 8031, 6700 EH, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Arnold van Huis

  4. Department of Agricultural Extension, College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, University of Ghana, PO Box 68, Legon, Ghana

    Owuraku Sakyi-Dawson

  5. Ghana Standards Authority, PO Box MB 245, Accra, Ghana

    Paul Osei-Fosu

  6. Ghana Cocoa Board, Department of Research, PO Box 933, Accra, Ghana

    Ebenezer Tei-Quartey

  7. Quality Control Company Limited, PO Box M54, Accra, Ghana

    William Jonfia-Essien

  8. Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, PO Box M40, Accra, Ghana

    Michael Owusu-Manu

  9. Quality Control Company Limited, Central Region, PO Box 57, Dunkwa, Ghana

    Maxwell Samuel Nana Karikari Addo

  10. Kuapa Kokoo Limited, PO Box AN 23044, Kumasi, Ghana

    Charles Afari-Mintah

  11. Cocoa Input Company Limited, PO Box C729, Cantoments, Accra, Ghana

    Maxwell Amuzu

  12. Agona Nyakrom Traditional Area, Central Region, PO Box 6, Agona Nyakrom, Ghana

    Nana Nyarko Eku-X

  13. Cargill Ghana Limited, Tema Free Zone Enclave, PMB 251, Community 1, Tema, Ghana

    Edward T. N. Quarshie

Authors
  1. Richard Adu-Acheampong
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  2. Janice Jiggins
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  3. Arnold van Huis
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  4. Anthony Richmond Cudjoe
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  5. Victress Johnson
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  6. Owuraku Sakyi-Dawson
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  7. Kwasi Ofori-Frimpong
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  8. Paul Osei-Fosu
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  9. Ebenezer Tei-Quartey
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  10. William Jonfia-Essien
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  11. Michael Owusu-Manu
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  12. Maxwell Samuel Nana Karikari Addo
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  13. Charles Afari-Mintah
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  14. Maxwell Amuzu
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  15. Nana Nyarko Eku-X
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  16. Edward T. N. Quarshie
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Correspondence to Richard Adu-Acheampong.

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Adu-Acheampong, R., Jiggins, J., van Huis, A. et al. The cocoa mirid (Hemiptera: Miridae) problem: evidence to support new recommendations on the timing of insecticide application on cocoa in Ghana. Int J Trop Insect Sci 34, 58–71 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758413000441

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