Agricultural Science

Classification of Insect Pests and their Economic Importance

len Alfred Ajibola - Thu, 05th March, 2020 @ 11:45 AM

Topics in Agricultural Science

Clay soil explained with its types and characteristics Loamy soil explained with its characteristics Sandy soil: Characteristics of sandy soil and ways to make it fertile Soil explained with its composition Types of agricultural practices Crop rotation explained Benefits of crop rotation Differences between subsistence and commercial farming Subsistence farming explained with its characteristics What is commercial farming? Types of commercial farming Characteristics of commercial farming Importance of forest: Forest reserves in Nigeria Wildlife reserves in Nigeria and its importance Prevention and Control of Crop Pests Economic Importance of Crop Pests Classification of Insect Pests and their Economic Importance Agricultural machines and their uses Causes of soil erosion Ways to prevent soil erosion Asexual Propagation in Plants, Types and Examples

Academic Questions in Agricultural Science

Please click here to see all Questions and Answers

The ideal pH for the optimum growth of most agricultural crop is between _____.

  • A. 1 – 3.5

  • B. 4 – 5.5

  • C. 6 – 7.5

  • D. 8 – 9.5

  • E. 10 – 11.5

  • F. 12 – 13.5

People who go about their lives by raising and herding livestock such as cattle, sheep and goats are said to practice _____.

  • A. Pastoralism

  • B. Pasturalism

  • C. Herding

  • D. Herdsmen

  • E. Animalism

  • F. Anime Farming

The act of giving birth in pigs is called _____.

  • A. Calving

  • B. Piggery

  • C. Kidding

  • D. Farrowing

  • E. Calfing

  • F. Pigging

Which of the following is not a vegetable?

  • A. Cashew

  • B. Cocumber

  • C. Tomatoes

  • D. Carrot

  • E. Squash

  • F. Eggplant

All plants are crops.

  • A. True

  • B. False

In agriculture, macronutrients are essential nutrients required by plants. Which of the following is not a macronutrient?

  • A. Zinc

  • B. Sulphur

  • C. Calcium

  • D. Phosphorus

  • E. Potassium

  • F. Magnesium

Which of the following is false concerning micronutrients?

  • A. They are non-essential nutrients

  • B. They are required by plants in minute quantities

  • C. Iron is a micronutrient

  • D. Chlorine is a micronutrient

  • E. Copper is a micronutrient

  • F. Boron is a micronutrient

_____ is a term that describes the biological, chemical and cultural control tactics employed to make pest management economical, environmentally friendly and socially acceptable.

  • A. Integrated Pest Management

  • B. Integral Pest Management

  • C. International Pest Management

  • D. Inclusive Pest Management

  • E. Imbibed Pest Management

  • F. Inclusion Pest Management


Classes of Insect Pests:

An insect pest can simply be defined as any insect capable of causing damage to crop plant.

Please read on the differences between plants and crops here.

It is important to state that we have other organisms that aren't insects (insect pests) but are also capable of causing damage to crop plants. Such organisms include:


Our classification of insect pest will be based on their mode of feeding. These group of insect pests will include:


1. Biting and Chewing Insects

A major characteristic of the biting and chewing insect pest is the possession of mouth-parts such as a strong mandible and maxillae.

You can read on the skeletal material (chitin) found in Insects here.

The image below shows the mouth parts of a biting and chewing insect:

Mouth parts of biting and chewing insect - Len Academy

Please read on pest of agricultural importance here.


The mandibles and maxilla of insect pests are used for biting and chewing plant parts.

Examples of biting and chewing insects include grasshoppers, termites, army worms, locust, beetles, leaf worms and so on.

 

2. Piercing and Sucking Insects

Piercing and sucking insects possess a strong mouth part termed proboscis.

The proboscis is a tiny and elongated mouth-part which enables certain insects to pierce through plants in order to suck the liquid substances from their tissues.

You can read on agricultural terms and meanings here.


The image below shows the proboscis of a piercing and sucking insect:

Mouth parts of piercing and sucking insect (Proboscis) - Len Academy

Examples of piercing and sucking insects include aphids, cotton strainers, butterflies, mealy-bugs and white flies.

 

3. Boring Insects

Boring insects will bore or make holes into crop plants. They end up destroying the tissues of plants, fruits and seeds through this process.

Please read more on the problems of agriculture in Nigeria here.

Examples of boring insects are stem borers, bean beetles and weevils.

 

Economic Importance of Insect Pest

Below are the economic importance or effects of insect pest in crop production:

  1. They reduce the farmer’s profit.
    You can read on roles of government in agriculture here.

  2. They cause reduction in the viability of stored produce.

  3. Some are vectors of diseases. A vector is an organism that carries and transmits a disease causing organism into another organism (called the host).
    Please read more on vectors of diseases here.

  4. They destroy crops through their biting, chewing, boring, sucking and defoliation activities.

  5. While attempting to control them, the cost of production is increased.
    You can read on agricultural tools and their uses here.

  6. They render vegetables and fruits unattractive and unmarketable.

  7. They generally reduce the yield of crops.

  8. They may bring about the death of crop plants.
    You can read on the characteristics of living organisms here.

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Amazing facts in Agricultural Science

Cows technically have one stomach, not four. However, a cow's stomach has four compartments. These are: rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum

Peanuts are legumes and not nuts

Although plants neither see nor hear, they can recognize their siblings and even give them preferential treatments

Squirrels do plant more trees (through their actions) than an average human in their lifetime. They often hide their acorns and nuts underground and forget about them

Cows have got the ability to walk up stairs, but not down stairs

A group of cows is called a team, drove or herd.

People just prefer to call them herd

Notable points in Agricultural Science

Below are characteristics of gymnosperms:

  1. Their seeds have cones that protect them.

  2. Sepals and petals aren't present in their cones.

  3. Stigma and style are absent.

  4. They do not produce fruits. Only seeds are formed.

  5. Companion cells are absent.

  6. Sporophyll form the cones.

  7. Anther and filament are absent.

  8. The ovules are not present in the ovary.

  9. Gymnosperms do not possess flowers.

    10. Please read on the anatomical differences between gymnosperms and angiosperms here

The flower is the reproductive organ in plants' sexual reproduction. In order to achieve a successful sexual propagation or reproduction in plants, the floral parts of the flower are utilized.

The floral parts of a flower consists of the followings:

  1. Sepals

  2. Petals

  3. Stamen

  4. Carpel

The stamen is male portion of a plant. It consists of the anther and filament.

The carpel (or pistil) is the female portion of the plant. It consists of the stigma, style and ovary.

Please read more on plants' sexual reproduction here

An organism will be considered a pest if it does one of the followings:

  • Attack crops and eat its seeds, roots, stem, leaves and flowers. Examples are locust and grasshoppers.

  • Cause damage to stored food, fruits or other agricultural produce. Some may even urinate or deaficate on these products. Examples are rodents, cockroaches and mice.

  • Attack and kill farm animals like goats, sheep and cattle. Examples are foxes, wild cats and snakes.

  • Act as disease vectors. A vector is an organism that carries parasite and other disease causing organisms, without being affected; but when they introduce the parasites into their host, such host becomes infected with disease. Examples of vectors are rodents and mosquitoes.

    Please read more on vectors of diseases here.

Below are the classification of crops based on their uses:

  • Oil crops

  • Vegetable crops

  • Latex crops

  • Drug and Medicinal crops

  • Beverage crops

  • Fibre crops

  • Fruit crops

  • Root and Tubers

  • Legumes

  • Spices

  • Cereals

All crops are plants but not all plants are crops. Below are some instances:

  • Weeds are considered as plants, not crops.

  • Parasitic plants are not necessarily crops. Examples of parasitic plants include mistletoe, corpse flower and striga.

  • Carnivorous or insectivorous plants are not necessarily crops. Examples are sundew, venus flytrap and pitcher plant. The image below shows a carnivorous plant (venus flytrap).

Venus flytrap - Len Academy

 

Meanwhile, always understand that all crops are plants, and they are grown for food, money or something beneficial.

Please read on plants versus crops here