Attacks of termites (insecta: isoptera) in cocoa farms (theobroma cacao l.) In oumé (côte d‘ivoire)

The objective of this study is to evaluate the damage caused by termites in cocoa plantations of Oumé (Central West, Ivory Coast). Six (6) age classes of farms (less than one year, 5 years, 8 years, 20 years, 25 years and 30 years) were studied. Four types of damage (ranked on a scale of 1 to 4) are observed on the cocoa trees. A total of 14 species have been harvested. Termites identified as being responsible for the damage all belong to the fungus grow and xylophagous groups. The totality of termite damage on the seedlings of the plot of less than 1 year is 99.1% caused by Microtermes toumodiensis. Nasutitermes latifrons, Coptotermes sjöstedti, Microcerotermes fuscotibialis, Schedorhinotermes lamanianus and Neotermes aburiensis generally attack older cocoa trees between 20 cm and 30 cm in diameter. Young seedlings less than one-year-old and cocoa trees over the age of 20 are therefore the most vulnerable to termite attacks, unlike those aged 5 and 8 years.