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Selected Insect Pests of Economic Importance to Brassica oleracea , Their Control Strategies and the Potential Threat to Environmental Pollution in Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Nelson Mpumi

    (School of Materials, Energy, Water and Environmental Sciences, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania)

  • Revocatus S. Machunda

    (School of Materials, Energy, Water and Environmental Sciences, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania)

  • Kelvin M. Mtei

    (School of Materials, Energy, Water and Environmental Sciences, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania)

  • Patrick A. Ndakidemi

    (School of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 447, Arusha, Tanzania)

Abstract

The most common destructive insect pests affecting cabbages in African smallholder farmers include Plutella xylostella , Helula undalis , Pieris brassicae, Brevycoryne brassicae , Trichoplusia ni and Myzus persicae . Those insect pests infest cabbages at different stages of growth, causing huge damage and resulting into huge yield losses. The African smallholder farmers use cultural and synthetic pesticides to control insect pests and minimize infestations. The cultural practices like crop rotation, weeding and handpicking are used to minimize the invasion of cabbage pests. However, those practices are not sufficiently enough to control cabbage insect pests although they are cheap and safe to the environment. Also, the African smallholder famers rely intensively on the application of broad-spectrum of synthetic pesticides to effectively control the cabbage pests in the field. Due to severe infestation of cabbages caused by those insects, most of African smallholder farmers decide to; first, increase the concentrations of synthetic pesticides beyond the recommended amount by manufacturers. Secondly, increase the rate of application of the synthetic pesticides throughout the growing season to effectively kill the most stubborn insect pests infesting cabbages ( Brassica oleracea var. capitata). Thirdly, they mix more than two synthetic pesticides for the purpose of increasing the spectrum of killing the most stubborn insect pests in the field. All those scenarios intensify the environmental pollution especially soil and water pollution. Moreover, most of insecticides sprayed are made with broad-spectrum and are hazardous chemicals posing environmental pollution and threats to natural enemies’ ecosystems. Therefore, this paper reviews Brassica oleracea var. capitata insect pests and control measures as a potential environmental pollution threat in African smallholder farmers.

Suggested Citation

  • Nelson Mpumi & Revocatus S. Machunda & Kelvin M. Mtei & Patrick A. Ndakidemi, 2020. "Selected Insect Pests of Economic Importance to Brassica oleracea , Their Control Strategies and the Potential Threat to Environmental Pollution in Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-22, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:9:p:3824-:d:355279
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Baidoo, P. K. & Adam, J. I., 2012. "The Effects of Extracts of Lantana camara (L.) and Azadirachta indica (A. Juss) on the Population Dynamics of Plutella xylostella, Brevicoryne brassicae and Hellula undalis on Cabbage," Sustainable Agriculture Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 1(2).
    2. Waterhouse, Doug F. & Sands, D.P.A., 2001. "Classical Biological Control of Arthropods in Australia," Monographs, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, number 117719.
    3. Baidoo, P. K. & Mochiah, M. B., 2016. "Comparing the Effectiveness of Garlic (Allium sativum L.) and Hot Pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) in the Management of the Major Pests of Cabbage Brassica oleracea (L.)," Sustainable Agriculture Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 5(2).
    4. Orr, Alastair & Ritchie, J. Mark, 2004. "Learning from failure: smallholder farming systems and IPM in Malawi," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 79(1), pages 31-54, January.
    5. Lingren, P. D. & Green, G. L., 1984. "Suppression and Management of Cabbage Looper Populations," Technical Bulletins 157650, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
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    2. Jamin Ali & Ahmet Bayram & Mohammad Mukarram & Fanrui Zhou & Muhammad Fazal Karim & Mogeda Mohammed Abdel Hafez & Mohammad Mahamood & Abdullahi Ahmed Yusuf & Patricia Jie Hung King & Muhammad Faheem A, 2023. "Peach–Potato Aphid Myzus persicae : Current Management Strategies, Challenges, and Proposed Solutions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-23, July.

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