Authors:
Dzokou Victor Joly*, Soufo Laurentine, Asafor Henry Chotangui, Nguimtsop Yannick, Lonchi Fofe Nicaise, Yana Wenceslas, Yaouba Aoudou and Tamesse Joseph Lebel ,Cameroon |
Abstract:
In sub-Saharan Africa, million people depend on maize for food. But the losses caused by
Spodoptera frugiperda on maize amount to millions of dollars, and the chemical control costly
and not eco-friendly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ethanolic
extract of Lantana camara and neem oil (Azadirachta indica) in reducing crop damage in maize
cultivation in Bankim. This was carried in a field experiment using a randomized complete
blocks design with the following treatments; 0.5L.ha-1 and 1L.ha-1 of neem and 10% and 20%
ethanolic extracts of L. camara replicated three times. Results show that neem oil treatments
significantly reduced (p< 0.05) crop damage by S. frugiperda on the leaves of maize from 49th to
63rd day after sowing (DAS) compared to the control treatment. Neem oil at 1L.ha-1 had a
significant effect on the incidence of S. frugiperda at the 35th and 49th DAS relative to the
control treatment. Consequently, neem oil treatment produced yield (4137.33 kg.ha-1) higher
than the control treatment (2812.66 kg.ha-1). Neem at 0.5L.ha-1 and 1L.ha-1 showed significant
differences in the number of damaged ears compared to control. Ethanolic extracts of L. camara
significantly (p < 0.05) reduced crop damage relative to the control, from the 49th to the 63rd
DAS. On the incidence of damage and the percentage of damaged cobs, L. camara at 20%
showed a significant difference on the 35th and 49th DAS. Consequently, the number of insects
collected in the control plots during the experiment was higher relative to the treated plots. Neem
oil at 1L.ha-1 showed reduced crop damage and the number of larvae of Fall Armyworm (FAW),
thus increased the yield of maize. |
