Volume 62, Issue 342, September - December 2026

Marketers’ Perceptions on Economic Impact and Management Responses to Scale-like Hemipterous Pest Infestation in Wukari, Nigeria

Okrikata Emmanuel^1♦, Agere Hemen Ityodugh James¹, Adepoju Isaiah Olusesan², Isa Richard Terkuma¹

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria.
²Department of Crop Production and Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria

^♦Corresponding author
Okrikata Emmanuel, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Scale-like hemipterous pests are important postharvest insect pest that impacts yam quality, marketability, and profitability in Nigeria. Information on marketers' perceptions of their economic impact and management responses is limited. This study was thus designed to determine yam marketers' perceptions on economic losses, and management practices associated with scale insect infestation on yams in Wukari Yam Market, Taraba State, Nigeria. A survey (cross-sectional) was conducted between March and June 2026. Structured pre-tested questionnaires were administered through face-to-face interviews of 255 randomly selected yam marketers from an estimated population of 700 active marketers using the Yamane sample size formula. Economic losses were estimated from reductions in market prices of infested tubers relative to healthy tubers. Most respondents were male, economically active, and had more than five years of trading experience. Nearly all respondents (97.65%) believed that scale insect infestation reduced the economic value of yam tubers. The major perceived effects were shrinkage/weight loss (84.31%), dry and fibrous tissues (77.00%) and reduced food value (55.29%). Average price reductions of 19.69%, 48.84%, and 74.37% was recorded on lightly, moderately, and heavily infested tubers, respectively. More than half (51.59%) of the respondents believed that infestation shortened storage life. Synthetic insecticides were the predominant management option, being used by 95.29% of respondents, with an average monthly control expenditure of ₦18,525±24,427.59. Alternatives such as botanicals, wood ash, and sun-drying were not commonly used. Overall, scale insect infestation was found to be perceived as a serious socioeconomic challenge that goes beyond biological damage to substantial postharvest losses. We thus recommend the promotion of integrated pest management strategies which encompasses improved storage technologies, and safer alternative control measures to suppress scale insect induced postharvest losses and to improve the profitability and sustainability of yam marketing in the study area.

Keywords: Biological damage, Infestation, Marketing, Postharvest loss, Yam Scale insects.

Discovery, 2026, 62, e34d3359

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Published: 09 November 2026