Effects of Different Termite Management Practices on Maize Production in Assosa District, Benishangul Gumuz Region, Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Termite is one of the most important serious insect pests of maize facing severe problem in western part of Ethiopia. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of four different management practices, their combined and their integration. The treatments consisted of chemical control (Malathion 50% E.C at rate of 2L/ha), botanical control (Echinops kebericho at rate of 3l/ha), cultural (ash at rate of 2.5kg/plot), and physical soil and water conservation (terrace 30cm in width*60cm in depth) and their integration and untreated control was used to check the significance. The experiment was laid out by randomized complete block design with twelve treatments and three replications which is thirty six total observations. The termite infestation was appeared after 20 days of germination emergency within the plots and immediate treatment application was carried out.  The integrated treatment, Malathion 50% E.C X Echinops kebericho X Terrace X Ash showed significance difference (P<0.05) and the least number of maize root damage (1%, no damage) and stem damage (0.67% and 0.67%) were recorded at seedling stage and harvesting time respectively. Whereas, cob damage was registered at harvesting time (1%) and the maximum number of normal maize stand count (178.67) was recorded by the integrated and contributed highest yield (6617.3kg/ha which is 93.06% of which only 6.94% yield was lost by termite infestation) whereas, untreated control showed higher number of root damage (6.33% and 5%), stem damage (6.33%, 9%) and cob damage ( 9%) and recorded least number of normal stand count (139) revealed with the lowest yield (5148.1kg/ha and contributed to72.4% yield of which 27.6% of yield was lost by termite infestation). Generally, the plots applied with the four integrated treatment contributed a good protection of termite infestation and recorded high yields than combined, separately applied treatments and untreated control and recommended for future use.

Keywords: - management practices, termite, insect pests, infestation, damage