On-farm storage studies on sorghum and chickpea in Eritrea

On-farm storage studies were conducted in Teraemini, Ashera and Hamelmalo sub-zones in Eritrea during 2004/2005, with the objective of finding the damages caused by storage pests under farmers’ situations. The studies were conducted on chickpea and sorghum and the treatments used were sand, small grain (taff, Eragrostis tef), vegetable oil and chemical (Malathox 1%). Data were collected every month on the number of eggs, number of holes, grain damage, weight loss and germination of the grains. The major storage pests observed during the studies were bruchids (Callosobruchus chinensis L.) on chickpea. Sorghum was attacked in storage by Angoumois grain moth (Sitotroga cerealella), weevils (Sitophilus spp), confused flour beetles (Tribolium spp), saw toothed grain beetles and mites. The populations of these pests were very low in the first three months. However, after three months of storage the population of the pests in all grains and locations increased very fast and caused high damage. The highest grain damages were recorded in the untreated control (check), sand and taff treatments. The weight loss for sorghum and chickpea in the untreated control (check) were 9.17 and 27.51%, respectively. Ash, oil and chemical treatments significantly lowered grain damage and weight loss in all the studies and locations. Ash and edible oils-treated grains had low or no storage pest problems in all the study sites