Crop Pests

Contents & notes: what this topic covers

Under Crop Pests, the JAMB Agricultural Science syllabus expects you to study:

• 14. Crop Pests a. General account of pests of
• agricultural plants both in the field
• and in the store, their types,
• importance, principles and methods of prevention and control b. Life cycles of: biting insects e.g.
• grasshopper; boring insects e.g.
• weevils; sucking insects e.g. aphids and cotton strainer.
• c. Common pesticides and their side effects

Study notes & guidance

Study Crop Pests using a recommended Agricultural Science textbook that follows the JAMB syllabus. Work through the contents listed above one by one, make brief notes in your own words, and then practise as many questions on this topic as you can — in Agricultural Science, understanding and steady practice matter far more than memorising. Use the objectives below as a checklist: if you can do each one confidently, you have mastered this topic.

Objectives — candidates should be able to

After studying Crop Pests, you should be able to:

1. Identify the various field and store pests. assess their economic importance. relate various prevention and control methods to different pests. describe the life cycles of various insects. apply the knowledge of the life cycles of insect pests to their prevention and control.
2. Differentiate between common pesticides.
3. Examine their mode of action on pests.

These objectives are from the official JAMB syllabus. Use them as a checklist — if you can do each one confidently, you have mastered this topic.

Source: official JAMB UTME Agricultural Science syllabus (IBASS, jamb.gov.ng). Reproduced for study use. Last checked: 17 Sept 2026. Always confirm the current syllabus on the official portal.