Year: 2004
Type: article
Abstract: Several millipede outbreaks have been reported in Akwa Ibom State, southeastern Nigeria between 1990 and 2001. Studies which involved field surveys, oral interviews of farmers, on-farm and laboratory observations and field sampling in some reported locations of outbreaks were undertaken. Results showed that nine of the thirty-one Local Government Areas of the state were affected. All the arable crops on the farmland were destroyed particularly the cassava, Manihot esculenta Crantz; Yam, Dioscorea rotundata Poir; Cocoyam, Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott; Fluted Pumpkin, Telfairia occidentalis Hook; Melon, Colocynthis citrullus Mill, Maize, Zea mays L. and Tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. Studies further revealed that the outbreaks occurred under two different agroecologies namely, homestead farms and open farmlands. A recently found small-sized millipede species identified as Tibiomus species (Diplopoda: Odontopygidae) was involved in outbreaks in homestead farms. Three large-sized millipede species, two of which were identified as Spirostreptus assiniensis (Diplopoda: Spirostreptidae) and Peridontopyge species (Diplopoda: Odontopygidae) were involved in outbreaks in open farmlands. The third species, which rarely occurred in non-outbreak periods and was non-destructive to crops was not identified. The millipede outbreaks were sporadic and unpredictable. Key words: Millipede Outbreaks; Tibiomus species Spirostreptus assiniensis; Peridontopyge species; Akwa Ibom State, Southeastern Nigeria. (Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences: 2003 9(4): 435-444)
Authors: U. E. Inyang, B. A Ndon
Language: English
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2022698113