How to Stop Termites Destroying Your Crops

3 hours ago

5 min read

TL;DR: Termites attack crops from below, so by the time maize falls over or yam heaps go hollow, the colony has been feeding for weeks. Protect crops by keeping plants strong and well watered, removing dead plant material termites feed on, and protecting the crop with a termite control product early in the season. Termivet, an organic termicide made from plant extracts, stops termites feeding and breeding.

What is termite damage on farms?

Termite damage on farms is the harm caused when termite colonies in the soil feed on the roots, stems and stored parts of crops. In Nigeria's savanna, most crop damage comes from soil-nesting termites, which tunnel up into plants from underground. Because they work out of sight, farmers usually notice the damage late.

Maize is the cereal termites damage most often. In a 1990s survey across Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria, termites cut groundnut yields by 9.6–30.4%, and farmers in West Africa reported anything from 5% to total loss in maize fields.

Signs you have a termite problem

What you see	What it usually means
Maize or sorghum wilting, then falling over	Termites have eaten the base of the stem or the roots
Soil packed inside a cut stem	Termites are feeding inside the plant
Mud tunnels running up stems, seedlings or tree trunks	Termites are moving up from the soil
Yam, cassava or groundnut eaten hollow	Termites are attacking the tuber, root or pod
Seedlings dying in patches soon after planting	Termites are attacking young roots
Mounds in or beside the field	An active colony nearby

Damage is usually worst in dry spells and at the end of the season, when plants are stressed and termites have less else to eat.

Why termites attack some fields more than others

Termites feed mainly on dead and dying plant material, and they turn to living crops when plants are stressed or when the field holds plenty of old stalks, roots and wood. That's why termite damage often rises in dry spells, on poor soils, and in fields where last season's cereal stalks are left lying. A study of groundnut across four West African countries, including Nigeria, linked the residues of previous cereal crops in the field to the spread of termites. Fields close to mounds, or newly cleared from bush, also carry large colonies. Healthy, well-watered plants with strong roots are less likely to be attacked, and recover better when they are. So, termite control works best as a combination: keep plants strong, keep the field free of the dead material that feeds the colony, and protect the crop at the points where termites attack it, which is the roots and the base of the stem.

How to protect your crops from termites

1. Reduce what termites feed on

Clear old stalks and dead wood from the field after harvest, or chop and work them into the soil well before planting.
Harvest on time. Maize left standing or lying in the field after it dries is an easy target.
Don't leave cut tree stumps in newly cleared fields if you can avoid it.

2. Keep plants strong

Plant at the right time so the crop isn't establishing in a dry spell.
Improve the soil's ability to hold water. Organic matter and biochar help soil hold moisture longer, so plants are less stressed in dry weeks. See What Is Biochar Fertilizer?
Water seedlings and young trees in dry periods where you can.

3. Protect the crop where termites attack

This is where a termite control product comes in.

How to use Termivet

Termivet is Vertex Agro's organic termicide. It's made from oil from cashew nut shells and a second plant extract, and is registered with NAFDAC (A5-2336). It comes in 1-litre and 250 ml bottles.

How it works:

Stops feeding. Termites stop eating treated plants and soil (it's an anti-feedant).
Stops growth. Young termites can't moult properly, so they don't mature.
Stops the next generation. It makes adults sterile, puts them off laying eggs and repels young and adult termites.

Research supports plant-based termite control: studies have found cashew nut shell liquid and its compounds, including cardanol, repellent or toxic to termites, and in West Africa, plant seed extracts have reduced termite damage to maize in farmers' fields.

How to apply it: follow the application instructions on the Termivet label. If you'd like help working it out for your farm, call us on +234 803 618 6987.

Mix	120 ml of Termivet in a 16-litre knapsack
Rate	1 litre per hectare (about 8 knapsacks)
250 ml bottle	Mixes 2 knapsacks. About a quarter of a hectare (half an acre), enough for a small plot or vegetable garden
When	2–3 weeks after the crop comes up, or as soon as you see termite damage
Repeat	Every 14 days
Last application before harvest	As stated on the label

Termivet is plant-based, but it's still a poison. Wear gloves and a face mask, keep it away from children, food and drinking water, and never wash the sprayer or empty bottles in a stream, river or pond.

Common mistakes

Waiting until plants fall over. By then the roots are gone. Treat at the first signs: tunnels, wilting, patches of dead seedlings.
Ignoring the label method. Termites attack from below, out of sight. Apply Termivet exactly as the label directs.
Leaving last season's stalks in the field. They feed the colony that attacks the next crop.
Treating once and stopping. Repeat at the label interval while damage continues.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know termites are damaging my maize?

Plants wilt and then fall over, and when you cut the stem open it's hollow or packed with soil. You may also see mud tunnels running up the stem and mounds near the field.

What is the best way to control termites on a farm?

Combine three things: remove old stalks and dead wood termites feed on, keep plants strong and well watered, and protect plants with a termite control product early in the season, before damage spreads.

Does an organic termite control product kill the whole mound?

Termivet protects your crop and stops termites feeding and breeding where it's applied. Destroying a whole mound means reaching the queen deep inside it, which is a separate job.

How much Termivet do I need for one hectare?

One litre treats about one hectare. Mix 120 ml in each 16-litre knapsack, which gives about 8 knapsacks. A 250 ml bottle mixes two knapsacks, about a quarter of a hectare.

Why are termites worse in the dry season?

Termites feed mostly on dry plant material and turn to living crops when plants are stressed by drought. Dry spells weaken roots and stems, so termites find it easier to attack and plants recover more slowly.

Stop termites before they reach the roots

Termites do their damage out of sight, so act on the early signs. Clear the field of old stalks, keep your plants strong, and protect the base of each plant early in the season.

Termites on your farm? Tell us the crop and how much land is affected, and we'll tell you how much Termivet you need.

Call +234 803 618 6987 · See Termivet →

Sources

Umeh et al., Soil pests of groundnut in West Africa: species diversity, damage and estimation of yield losses (ICRISAT): oar.icrisat.org/4946
An Appraisal of Farmers' Termite Control Methods in Some Traditional Cropping Systems of West Africa, Entomological Society of Nigeria (2003): esnjournal.com.ng
Effects on termite damage to maize of seed extracts of Azadirachta indica and Piper guineense in farmers' fields, Journal of Agricultural Science: Cambridge
Evaluation of termiticidal properties of chemically modified cashew nut shell liquid, Kabarak University: ir.kabarak.ac.ke