Evaluation of Termite Management Strategies in Cocoa Plantations in Ondo State, South West Nigeria

Cocoa production in Ondo State, Nigeria's leading cocoa-producing state, is increasingly threatened by subterranean termite damage to trunk bases, root zones, and shade trees. Limited guidance exists on management strategies appropriate for the artisanal smallholder production systems that dominate Ondo's cocoa sector. This study evaluates the performance of three termite management strategies, namely chemical soil treatment, biological control using entomopathogenic fungi, and physical baiting systems, in cocoa plantations across Ondo State. A randomized field trial will be established at 30 cocoa farms in Ile-Oluji, Idanre, and Ondo LGAs, with farms randomly assigned to treatment groups. Termite activity will be monitored using bait stakes inserted at 10-meter intervals and visual inspection of trunk damage at monthly intervals for 18 months. Termite genera will be identified from collected soldiers. Yield data will be recorded to determine whether management treatments translate to reduced crop losses. Treatment costs will be calculated per hectare to allow cost-effectiveness comparison. The study addresses a critical knowledge gap in termite management for Nigerian cocoa, and its findings will be presented to the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria. Keywords: termite management, cocoa plantation, Ondo State, biological control, subterranean termites