THE EFFICACY OF SELECTED PLANT POWDERS ON STORED MAIZE GRAINS AGAINST SITOPHILUS ZEAMAIS (MOTSCHULSKY) IN STORED MAIZE IN MAKURDI
Keywords:
Sitophilus zeamais, Azadirachta indica, cypermethrin, progeny emergence, grain damage, stored maize, botanical insecticidesAbstract
This study evaluated the insecticidal efficacy of cypermethrin and three botanical powders, Azadirachta indica (Neem), Allium sativum (Garlic), and Afrostyrax lepidophyllus against the maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais). Parameters including cumulative mortality, F1 progeny emergence, grain damage, and weight loss were assessed at dosages of 3g, 5g, and 7g. Results revealed a clear hierarchy of efficacy (p ≤ 0.05) with cypermethrin achieving 100% mortality and absolute suppression of progeny and grain damage by 5-7 days after treatment (DAT). Among the botanicals, A. indica was the most potent, reaching 82.45% mortality and reducing grain damage to 11.64% at the 7 g dosage. A. sativum showed moderate activity, while A. lepidophyllus was the least effective, with damage levels reaching 25.59%. Untreated controls exhibited severe degradation, including 56.45% grain damage and 33.42% weight loss. These findings demonstrate that while cypermethrin remains the most effective rapid intervention, A. indica and A. sativum serve as viable, dosage-dependent organic alternatives for the sustainable management of S. zeamais in stored maize.References
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