Corn-Root Boring White Grub and its Management, the Case of Ethiopia

Maize is among the world's three most important cereal crops, the other two being wheat and rice. Because of its great genetic diversity, it is grown in more diverse regions than any other crop. Maize is an important staple food in developing countries, in particular in Latin America and Africa and a basic ingredient for local drinks and food products. It is also an outstanding feed for livestock, high in energy, low in fiber and easily digestible. The factors that limit maize production are also diverse, some of the most important being insects and closely related organisms such as mites. These pests can infest maize at any stage of crop development and in storage and attack any part of the plant, often causing severe damage. The moth group (which includes cutworms, armyworms, earworms, borers and grain moths) is the most damaging to maize worldwide, followed by the beetles (rootworms, wireworms, grubs, grain borers and weevils). Next in importance is the group of insects that serve as carriers (vectors) for disease agents (viruses, micoplasms, bacteria and fungi), among which the sap-sucking bugs (leafhoppers and aphids) are the greatest problem. This paper specifically deals with white grubs which have become a challenging subject for our farmers and scientists in various parts of the country. No crop is completely free from or resistant to the attack of these grubs. The loose soils with moderate to low rainfall provide favorable conditions for the survival and multiplication of these insects and they have become destructive particularly in tropical regions of the world. Hence, this review aims to help farmers recognize these pests and thereby take effective protection of the crop against them.