EFFECT OF SOME PLANT MATERIALS AND SOME SYNTHETIC INSECTICIDES IN THE CONTROL OF EGGPLANT FRUIT BORER (Leucinodes orbonalis)

This trial was carried out in 2010 at the Teaching and Research Farm of Michael Opara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, to study the effect of some plant materials: Ageratum conyzoides and Tagetes eracta as mulch and aqueous extracts and synthetic chemicals; Nuvacron and Lamda-Cyhalothin for the control of the population of the eggplant fruit borer; Leucinodes orbonalis and the effect of these control measures on the crop. The trial was a 6 x 5 factorial replicated four times in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Each treatment had five different rates/concentrations randomized within the blocks with treatment application interval of two weeks. Data collected includes number of fruits/plant/plot, number of damaged fruits and population of Leucinodes orbonalis. The result obtained shows that all the treatments used exhibited varying degrees of insecticidal activity, reducing the insect pest population more than the control (p<0.05). From all indications, plant materials especially Tagetes eracta aqueous at 0.04% concentration was the most effective and competed favourably with the synthetic chemicals. Tagetes eracta can therefore be recommended to farmers as an organic insecticide and substitute for the synthetic insecticides.