Parameters, Interrelationships with Yield and use of Carbofuran to Control Stem Borers in Maize (Zea mays l.) at Makurdi in the Nigerian Southern Guinea Savanna

Abstract

Early and late crops of flint, pop and sweet maize (Zea mays L.) were sown in field plots laid in randomized complete block design at the Teaching and Research Farm in 2004. Stem borer infestation and damage were assessed both in the plots treated with 1.5 kg carbofuran/ha and in those not treated for stem borer control. The maize types, as subplot treatments, and carbofuran application vs no application, as main plot treatments, were replicated four times. Borer damage was quantified as percentage dead-heart, bored stems, lodged stems, bored internodes, and as numbers of borer larvae/stem and borer cavities. The damage parameters were correlated with each other and with yield. Busseola fusca Fuller was the most abundant species; borer infestation was 5 times higher in the late than in the early crop and application of carbofuran resulted in 86.8 and 63.5 % control, respectively. Yield loss due to borer damage to the early crop was 14.0%; that for the late crop was 1.5-fold higher. In both crops, maize type exerted no significant effect (P>0.05) on borer damage. Percentage bored internodes was positively and significantly (P < 0.01) correlated with number of bored stems (r = 0.95, early crop; 0.88, late crop), and lodged stems (r = 0.82, early crop; 0.83, late crop). Similarly, bored and lodged stems were positively correlated (r =0.75 and 0.74, respectively in the early and late crop; P < 0.01). Dead-heart was positively correlated with each stem damage parameter; coefficients of correlation were higher for the early than the late crop. All damage parameters were negatively correlated with yield but a robust yield loss predictive model was not found. As such, use of carbofuran against maize stem borers would continue to be prophylactic at Makurdi.

Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis for Yield and Yield Components in Late Maturing Pro-vitamin A Synthetic Maize (Zea mays L.) Breeding Lines

“…Maize is regarded as an important socioeconomic crop which serves as a staple for more than 1.2 billion people globally [1,2] and over 300 million people in Africa [3]. It also serves as a source of animal feed and raw materials for many agro-based industries [4,5].…”

Combining ability and testcross performance of low N tolerant intermediate maize inbred lines under low soil nitrogen and optimal environments

“…Maize remains one of the most important staple food crops in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It is consumed across the continent and covers a significant hectarage of the agricultural land (Okweche et al ., 2013). However, maize production in SSA is constrained by several biotic and abiotic stresses prominent among which is low-soil nitrogen (Badu-Apraku et al ., 2012).…”

Preference of Bt‐resistant and susceptible Busseola fusca moths and larvae for Bt and non‐Bt maize

“…Maize, Zea mays L. (Poaceae), is the staple food source for more than 300 million people in sub‐Sahara Africa (Shiferaw et al, ; Okweche et al, ) and is a vital component in both commercial and subsistence agriculture (Schimmelpfennig et al, ; Ranum et al, ). Cereal stem borer species, such as Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), may cause severe damage to maize plants, necessitating control measures.…”