Abstract:

To control pests and grow a healthy crop of cassava:
Identify the common pests, their damage symptoms, and natural enemies
correctly; know the conditions under which the Pests will cause severe losses.
Select sites with dense vegetation, deep loamy soils, and flat or gently sloping
land to plant cassava.
Improve the soils by manuring, mulching, and intercropping.
Grow cassava varieties that tolerate the common pests in your area.
Plant healthy stem cuttings or treat the stem cuttings against pest damage;
avoid transporting and planting cassava stems infested with stem-borne pests; after
harvesting, destroy cassava stems infested with stem-borne pests.
Plant cassava mainly at the beginning of the wet season; avoid late planting
Use natural enemies against cassava pests.
Do not spray pesticides on cassava as these will kill the natural enemies of
cassava pests.
Dig egg-laying sites of the variegated grasshopper in the wet season to expose and
destroy egg pods of the pest
In the control of bird, rodent, and other vertebrate pests of cassava, fence farms and
set traps in the fence; cover exposed storage roots with soil; organize villages
to hunt for grasscutters; weed your cassava farm on time to discourage rodent
pests; and harvest cassava storage roots as soon as they are mature