(a) Name the organism which causes the damage observe on each of specimen J, K, L and M.
(b) State three ways in which the organism which caused the damage on specimen J is of economic importance.
(c) State two ways of controlling each of the organisms which caused damage to specimens J,K, L and M.
Explanation
(a) Organisms which cause the damage observed in specimens J,K,L and M
- Specimen J- Maize weevil
- Specimen K- Yam beetle
- Specimen L-Virus
- Specimen M- Fungus
(b) Economic importance of maize weevil
- Causes loss of food/ food shortage/destruction of stored maize
- Destruction of seed viability/ reduced seed germination
- Causes loss of income/ reduced market value
- Increases the cost of production due to the cost of controlling the pest
- It reduces yield/quantity of produce.
(c) Ways of controlling maize weevil, yam beetle, cassava mosaic virus and fruit rot of tomato
Maize weevil;
- Use of dry hot pepper/ use of pepper
- Store in air tight containers
- Use of appropriate insecticide
- Heat treatment/ store on rafters in smoky rooms
- Use of deep freezer/freezing
- Early harvesting of crops
- Fumigating maize in store
Yam beetle;
- Treat yam setts/ seeds yams with appropriate insecticides
- Crop rotation
- Late planting
- Hand-picking and destroying
- Dust yam set with alum dust.
Cassava mosaic virus;
- Plant resistant varieties
- Uproot and burn infected plants
- Farm sanitation
- Plant clean and disease-free stem cuttings
- Spray insecticides to kill the vectors
Fruit rot fungus;
- Use of resistant varieties
- Remove infected plants
- Staking of tomato plants.
- Treating soil with copper-based fungicide.