A SURVEY OF CASSAVA PESTS IN THE CENTRAL-AFRICAN-REPUBLIC

In a survey of cassava pests in a Prefecture of the Central African Republic, incidence and severity of cassava mealybug was generally low. Pest abundance was greatly influenced by cultural practices. Abundance was highest on compound farms and cassava fields near larger towns, where cassava is intensively grown. Cassava green mite was omnipresent. The damage caused by mite attack varied greatly between varieties. Some react by loss of tissue, causing a rapid reduction in mite population, others react by proliferation. Yield losses were estimated in the absence of yield data: losses caused by mealybug and green mite were low and less important than those caused by bacterial blight, mosaic, or adverse cultural practices.