Individual and Composite Effects of Chili pepper (Capsicum frutescens) and Neem (Azadirachta indica) Based Botanical Powdered Formulations Against Stemborer Damage on Sorghum in North Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

This experiment examines the use of chilli pepper and neem based botanical formulations which are being promoted more intensively in Africa due to their effectiveness and safety in application. This study was therefore aimed at comparatively assessing the efficacy of chili pepper and neem based botanical formulations in controlling sorghum stemborer damage. Pure Neem Kernel Powder (NKP), Pure Chili Pepper Powder (CPP); 1:1, w/w: NKP + Finesand, CPP + Finesand and Carbaryl dust (a recommended synthetic insecticide) were evaluated for control of sorghum stemborers. The result shows that sorghum stemborer damage symptoms were significantly (p<0.05) controlled by the treatments when compared with the control. NKP + Finesand however, gave the best result with lowest percentage (%) of dead heart (0.03) at 35DAS, 0.05 at 45DAS and stem tunneling length percentage (6.03). NPK + Finesand also gave the highest grain yield (6.39kg/plot)

Keywords: Stemborer  Botanicals  Deadheart  Finesand  Chilli