CCI scientists visit ENB

By ABIGAIL APINA
SCIENTISTS from Cocoa and Coconut Institute have fulfilled their commitment yesterday when they visited cocoa farmers in East New Britain to confirm their claims on red ants reported on the media two weeks ago
Dr Samson Laup and Dr Eremas Tade visited the local farmers and were taken around the cocoa block which was reported to have red ants waging on cocoa board borer Farmers told the scientists that red ants were abundant when they made claims however have reduced in number after three rounds of harvesting from the block.
According to Laup, who is head of cocoa research division, it was possible for the red ants to move to another location or cocoa tree where they could find scale insects, adding that the ants feed on the honey produced by these scale insects that live on cocoa pods He explained to the farmers that when these red ants feed on these scale insects, they also feed on the cocoa pod borer when found present on the pods which was why the quality of cocoa with red ants on them were of good quality.
Laup confirmed that red ants were biological enemies to the borer, however, the only disadvantage was that these ants were nomadic species and it would be difficult to keep them on one location as they would still move to another location in search for more honey to feed on.
He added that another disadvantage was they were unfriendly to humans when being disturbed which would cause more problems to farmers who plan to use these red ants as a biological control.
Laup said those farmers who find red ants present on their cocoa pods would be happy to find their cocoa harvest of good quality, however, ants were only present when such honey-producing insects such as scale insects were found present on pods.