Effect of nitrogen and farmyard manure on insect pests of pearl millet in northern Ghana

Increasing the rate of N applied to millet increased the incidence of stem borer, Coniesta ignefusalis, and cotton stainers, Dysdercus volkeri. Controlled studies confirmed that when C.ignefusalis larvae were reared on millet grown on high doses of N, their survival and subsequent crop damage increased. However, nitrogen applications reduced the incidence of the head miner, Heliocheillus albipunctella. Farmyard manure, even at 10 kg/ha, had no significant effect on pest incidence. Copyright © 2004 Whurr Publishers Ltd