Cassava grit weight losses and management options against African honeybees (Apis: mellifera) in Mtwara region, Tanzania

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Research Paper 01/11/2017
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Cassava grit weight losses and management options against African honeybees (Apis: mellifera) in Mtwara region, Tanzania

Kasiga Ngiha Ndibanya, Kelvin Mtei, Ernest R. Mbega
J. Bio. Env. Sci.11( 5), 356-364, November 2017.
Certificate: JBES 2017 [Generate Certificate]

Abstract

Field trials to estimate post-harvest cassava grits losses caused by honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) were conducted from July to November 2016 in Mtwara region, Tanzania. The aim of this study was to quantify cassava grit weight losses due honeybees and its management options. Four treatments were applied including cassava grits with an agro-net, cassava grits supplied with sugar solution, cassava grits supplied with cashew apple juice and artificial hornet’s nests. Uncovered cassava was used as control. In each treatment about 10kg of cassava grits were placed on a black polyethylene plastic sheet at exactly 10:00am- 16:00pm and the experiment was repeated daily for 16 weeks. The results showed that honeybees caused an average loss in cassava grit weight of about 31.28%. Of the treatments tested, no weight loss as result of honeybees was observed on cassava grits covered with agro net. The results also showed that in grits supplied with sugar solution only 2.2% was lost due to honeybees while loss in those supplied with cashew juice and artificial hornet’s nests were 20.31% and 10.72%, respectively. It is concluded that cassava grits can be effectively prevented from honeybees drying weight losses through covering with agro nets or only allow about 2.2% of loss by supplementing cassava grits with sugar solution during drying process. Therefore, agro-nets and sugar solution supplement are recommended to prevent Apis mellifera during sun drying of cassava grits in Mtwara region, Tanzania.

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