Evaluation of efficacy of khaya senegalensis and cassia occidentalis leaf powder on sitophilus zeamais in stored grain maize (zea mays)

Abstract

The possibility of controlling maize weevil, S. zeamais using Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis) and cassia (Cassia occidentalis) leaf powders were evaluated under laboratory condition in the Department of Crop Production, Federal University of Technology, Minna. The leaf powders were mixed with the maize grains, stored in bowls and covered with muslin cloth for 28days using complete Randomized Design (CRD). Data on anti-oviposition and adult mortality were collected and analysed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the least significant difference (LSD) to separate the means. The result showed that there was no significant difference (p<0.05) in the adult mortality in all the treatments of Khaya senegalensis and antioviposition at 14, 21, 28days. A significant reduction (p<0.05) in the efficacy of Cassia occidentalis on adult mortality at 21days and anti-oviposition at 7, 14, 21days was recorded .However, the mixed leaf powder of both treatments (Khaya senegalensis and Cassia occidentalis) had no significant difference (p<0.05) at 7,21days for adult mortality and anti- oviposition.