A Study of the Weather Variability Influence on Occurrence and Damages of Mononychellus tanajoa Bonder (Acarina: Tetranychidae) on Selected Cassava Varieties in the Lake Zone, Tanzania | Chapter 9 | Cutting-edge Research in Agricultural Sciences Vol. 13

During the dry seasons of 2015 and 2016, a study was undertaken in Tanzania’s Lake Zone, which is the country’s main cassava producer. Its goal was to determine the impact of weather variables on the incidence of Cassava green mites (CGM), Mononychellus tanajoa, on regularly produced cassava types and the damages they inflict. Cassava is a staple food for 200 million Africans living in poverty, as well as a significant source of employment and revenue, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses. The studies were set up in a Split plot design, with subplots representing varieties and main plots representing localities. Ukiruguru, Ng’ombe, and Kishiri were the three places, with the first two in Misungwi and the third in Kwimba districts. The natural occurrence of M. tanajoa infestation was allowed. In both years, the population of mites and the amount of damage caused by them differed significantly (P0.05) among cultivars, data collecting dates, and locations. In general, the highest population of M. tanajoa was found in Kwimba in 2015 and Ukiruguru in 2016, while the lowest was found in N’gombe in both years. Both seasons, Ukiriguru had the highest root yield. The most susceptible kinds in both years were Liongo Kwimba and Naliendele, whereas Suma and Kyaka were reported to have tolerated/resisted the pest. In all seasons, rainfall, relative humidity, and temperature all played a role in M. tanajoa’s survival, propagation, and harm.

Author (S) Details

B. S. Wudil
Department Crop Protection, Bayero University, Kano, P.M.B. 3011, Kano, Nigeria and Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O.Box 3005, Morogoro, Tanzania.

G. M. Rwegasira
Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O.Box 3005, Morogoro, Tanzania.

A. B. Kudra
Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O.Box 3005, Morogoro, Tanzania.

S. Jeremiah
Lake Zone Agricultural Research and Development Institute (LZARDI), Ukiruguru, Lake Zone, P.O.Box 1433, Mwanza, Tanzania.

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