Biocidal Activities of Seed Oils of Jatropha curcas and Moringa oleifera on Development of African Maize Stalk borer, Busseola fusca Fuller (Lepdoptera: Pyralidae)

Abstract

Laboratory experiment was conducted at the Department of Crop Protection Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Bayero University, Kano, in order to assess the effect of oils obtained from the seeds of Jatropha curcas and Moringa oleifera on African Maize Stalk Borer (Busseola fusca Fuller). The effects of the plant seed oils on larvae mortality, pupae and adult emergence were tested on freshly cut leaves/stem of maize 3-4 cm long) and treated with the prepared plant oils at various concentrations (10, 20, and 30%) and control (0%). The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design and replicated four times. The results showed that both plant seeds oils were lethal to the developmental stages of B. fusca, causing mortality (21%) to the larvae, and subsequently preventing and/or suppressing pupae (2.08) and adult emergence (1.95). Treatment at 30% concentration was found to be more lethal to all the developmental stages of the test insect. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that any of the plant seed oils at 30 % concentration could be used to manage B. fusca.