White grub infestation in sugarcane in northern Tanzania and soil analysis from 2022 to 2024

The damage caused by the white grub Cochliotis melolonthoides Gerst. (Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) has severely reduced sugarcane yields in Northern Tanzania since the establishment of large scale plantations in 1940s. At the TPC sugarcane complex, despite the spread of infestations over the decades, the damage has remained localized in their southern area. This dataset aims to identify the environmental parameters that determine such spatial limitations, focusing on soil health and cultural practices, to propose effective pest management strategies. It comprises 1,856 records from 928 locations (two replications per location) of white grub counts and soil analyses conducted between 2022 and 2024.