Pest are organism capable of causing damage to crops, food, livestock, etc.
Types of pest
1. Insects.
2. Birds.
3. Rodent.
4. Monkeys.
5. Nematodes.
6. Man.
Effect of economic importance of insect pest in crop production.
1. Insect pest destroy crop in the field through their biting, chewing, boring, sucking and defoliation activities.
2. They cause reduction in the viability of stored produces
3. They increase the cost of production during the course of controlling them.
4. They render vegetables fruit unattractive and unmarkable.
5. They generally reduce the yield of crops.
6. They reduce the quality of production either in the store or in the field.
7. Some are carriers or vector of diseases.
8. The profits of farmers are reduced.
Prevention and control of pest
Pest of crops can be prevented or controlled through the following method.
1. Physical control
2. Cultural control
3. Biological control
4. Chemical control
· Physical control: It involves the physical removal of a pest by:
1. Hand picking of insect.
2. Setting trap to catch rodent.
3. Shooting rodent with gun.
4. Tending around the rain with wire nets.
· Cultural control: This method involves the use of farm activities to prevent or control pests especially on the field. Example of cultural control includes:
1. Crop rotation.
2. Bush fallowing.
3. Change in the time or planting.
4. Regular weeding.
5. Proper timing or planting.
6. Bush burning.
7. Proper time or harvesting.
· Biological control: It involves the introduction or the natural enemies. Such enemies eat up or feed on the pest.
· Chemical control: It involves the use of chemicals called pesticides to control pest on crop plant. These chemical which are in form of powder, liquid, granules and tablet are used on the insect by various method like spraying or dusting seeds on plant to check pests. Examples of such chemical include:
1. Insecticides
2. Rodenticides
3. Phosphate.
4. Nematocides
5. Pesticides. Etc.
