COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF MODIFIED NEEM LEAF, WOOD ASH AND NEEM LEAF EXTRACTS FOR SEED TREATMENT AND PEST CONTROL IN MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.9755/ejfa.v22i1.4905Keywords:
neem leaf, wood ash extract, modified neem leaf, pest control and maize.Abstract
An experiment was conducted at Akure, rainforest zone of Nigeria to evaluate the effectiveness of neem leaf, wood ash extracts, modified neem leaf extract, Apron star 42WS and Karate 720EC as seed treatment and pest control in maize. The organic treatment extracts namely neem leaf extract, wood ash extract applied at 1200ml per hectare and modified neem leaf extract (1:1 ratio 600ml wood ash + 600ml neem leaf extract) were compared with Apron star 42WS (seed treatment), Karate 720EC and control treatment (no neem leaf, wood ash extracts nor Karate), replicated four times and arranged in randomized complete block design. The results showed that there were significant differences (P < 0.05) in the germination counts, insect population, number of damaged leaves, growth and yield parameters of maize under different treatments compared to the control treatment. The modified neem leaf extract performed better in germination counts, reduction of damaged leaves, insect population and yield of maize than the sole application of neem leaf and wood ash. For percentage germination counts, Apron star 42WS had 65% followed by modified neem leaf extract (57%), wood ash extract (51%), neem leaf extract (47%) respectively. Modified neem leaf extract increased the leaf area, plant height and stem girth of maize by 8%, 5% and 7% respectively compared to the neem leaf (sole) extract. Generally, modified neem leaf extract had the best values of maize growth parameters followed by Karate, neem leaf and wood ash extracts respectively. Modified neem leaf extract decreased significantly the insect population, number of damaged leaves and number of holes per plant in maize by 33%, 70% and 30% respectively compared to the neem leaf extract (sole). When compared to modified neem extract, Karate decreased the number of damaged leaves per sample plot by 33%. However, there was no significant difference between karate and modified neem extract for insect population. For yield parameters, modified neem leaf extract significantly increased the maize yield gains by 15%, 14% and 2% compared to neem leaf, wood ash extracts and karate treatments respectively. However, wood ash and neem leaf extracts did not affect significantly the maize yield. Therefore, the modified neem leaf extract applied at 1200L/ha (3L/25m2) was most effective for pest control and seed treatment in maize crop.
Downloads
References
Adesiyan, S. O. 1992. Chemical control of
nematode pests of some economic
crops. In: Proc. 1st Regional
Symposium on biology and control of
nematode pests of food crops in
Africa. B. Fawole, O. A. Ogunjobi, J.
O. Babatola and A. A., Idowu (Eds.),
University of Ibadan, July 26-29,
1992: 283-294.
Alegbejo, M. D. 2001. Reaction of okra
cultivars screened for resistance to
okra masaic virus in Samaru, Northern
Guinea Savanna, Nigeria. J. Sust
Agric. Environ. 3:315-320.
Emir. J. Food Agric. 2010. 22 (1): 37-45
http://ffa.uaeu.ac.ae/ejfa.shtml
45
AOAC. 1970. Official Methods of Analysis
12th ed. AOAC, Arlington, VA.
Ayoade, F. C. 1977. Insecticide spray
schedule evaluation of pests. Nigeria J.
Plant Protection 3:129-136.
Das, W. C. and H. Z. Karim. 1968. Use of
wood ash as surface protectant.
Tropical grain legume bulletin. No.
33-32.
Du Plessis Jéan. 2003. Maize production.
South Africa Department of
Agriculture, Resources Centre
Directorate Agriculrtural Information
Services. Private Bag X144, Pretoria,
0001 South Africa. 38 p. Online:
www.nda.agric.Za/publications.
Famisa, A. O. 2004. Evaluation of different
levels of wood ash solution as
insecticide on the pests infestation and
maize yield. HND Project work
Agronomy Department, Federal
College of Agriculture, Akure,
Nigeria. 26-35.
Gomez A. I. and A. A. Gomez. 1984.
Statistical procedures for agricultural
research. Second edition. John Wiley
and Son. New York.
Idoni, P. O. 1997. Effectiveness of neem
seed as an insecticide on cowpea yield.
HND Project work Agronomy
Department, Federal College of
Agriculture, Akure, Nigeria. 25-30.
Ivibijaro, M. F. 1983. Preservation of
cowpea with neem seeds. Fuss Protect.
Ecol. 5:127-182.
Iyagba, A. G. 2001. Chemical weed and
pest control in a cassava/okra
intercrop. A paper presented at the 19th
Annual Conference of Horticultural
Society of Nigeria. University of
Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria: 6-8. May
28-June 1, 2001.
Messiah, M. C. 1992. Evaluation of
insecticides of plant origin. J. Plant
Protect. 2:1-83.
Odeyemi, S. Y. 1984. Laboratory
evaluation of neem leaf toxicity on
cowpea beetle (Callosobronchus
maculate). Res. Bulletin No. 45:453-
483.
Soil Survey Staff. 1999. Soil Taxonomy. A
basic system for soil classification for
making and interpreting soil surveys.
Agric. Handbook No. 436, USDA,
Washington, D.C.
USDA-FAS 2009. World Agricultural
Production. United State Department
of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural
Services Circular Series W November
2009AP 11-09. Online:
http://www.fas.usda.Gov/psdonline/
circulars/production.pdf.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
.