Description

Abstract: Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important food and cash crop in Ghana, West Africa. Soil arthropods often cause kernel and pod damage that can lower yield. A survey of peanut fields was conducted with farmers in Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Eastern, and Volta regions of Ghana, West Africa during 1999 and 2001 to identify soil arthropods and quantify damage to pods and kernels from arthropods. Soil arthropod pests observed in peanut fields during both years across all regions were white grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabeidae), millipedes (Myriapoda: Diplopoda), symphilids (Myriapoda: Symphyla), termites (Isoptera: Termitidae), earwigs (Dermaptera: Forficulidae), wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae), red ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and mealybugs (Homoptera: Pseudoccoccidae). Black ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and centipedes (Myriapoda: Chilopoda) were predatory arthropods found in these fields. Termite was the predominant arthropod in all regions. Black ants were the predominant predatory arthropod. Although percentages of unfilled pods were high in all the regions during both years, damage caused by soil arthropods was relatively low. In experiments conducted during 2003 (Kwadaso) and during 2004 (Ejura) peanut damage and yield were compared when the cultivars Konkoma and ICG FDRS-20