African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6863

Introduction

Insect pests infesting black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) in southwestern part of Ethiopia

Teshale Daba
  • Teshale Daba
  • Ethiopian Institute of Agriculture Research (EIAR), Ambo Plant Protection Research Center, P. O. Box, 19 Ambo, Ethiopia.
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Habetewold Kifelew
  • Habetewold Kifelew
  • Ethiopian Institute of Agriculture Research (EIAR), Tepi National Spice Research Center, P. O. Box: 34, Fax: +2510475 56 0087, Tepi, Ethiopia.
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Girma Hailemichael
  • Girma Hailemichael
  • Ethiopian Institute of Agriculture Research (EIAR), Tepi National Spice Research Center, P. O. Box: 34, Fax: +2510475 56 0087, Tepi, Ethiopia.
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Wakjira Getachew
  • Wakjira Getachew
  • Ethiopian Institute of Agriculture Research (EIAR), Tepi National Spice Research Center, P. O. Box: 34, Fax: +2510475 56 0087, Tepi, Ethiopia.
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  •  Received: 08 September 2016
  •  Accepted: 20 October 2016
  •  Published: 25 May 2017

Abstract

Survey was carried out to study the distribution, infestation and damaging level of insect pests of black pepper during 2013/2014 cropping season in Southwestern Ethiopia. Insect pests were observed and identified at their sites in the surveyed areas. In addition, samples of insect pests and infected plant parts were collected and insect images were taken. The samples were diagnosed in Tepi National Spice Research Center laboratory. A total of twenty two species of insect pests were recorded as black pepper insect pest with different rate of infestation and damage level. Biting black ants (Tetramorium species), black pepper flea beetle (Longitarsus species), leaf gal trips (Liothrips species), and stink bugs (Pentatomidae) were recorded with relatively high infestation and damage level from all surveyed area, while others were considered as intermediate and minor pest due to low infestation and damage level. Therefore, it is important to design control options for these major insect pests to ensure plant health and pest action under economic threshold level.

 

Key words: Survey, black pepper, insect pests, infestation, damage level, spices.

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This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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