Insect Pests of Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook.E) and Their Control with. Neem seed Extracts in Owerri West Area of Imo State

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted to determine the insect pests of fluted pumpkin, Telfairia occidentalis at different stages of plant growth and their control with neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) seed extract. At different stages of growth, the crop was predominantly attacked by grasshoppers such as Zonocerus variegatus Linnaeus and Oedaleus nigeriensis Uvarov. During the early stage of growth (1-4 weeks after transplanting (WAT)), Z variegatus had the highest incidence (1.70 insects) followed by O. nigeriensis (1.60), Pachnoda marginella Fabricus (1.10), Lagria villosa Fabricius (0.80), Homorocoryphus nitidulus Vicinus (0.70) and Epilachna chrysomelina Fabricus (0.50) in that order. Z. variegatus and O. nigeriensis also recorded the highest mean numbers at 5 – 8 and 9 – 12 WAT,which indicated their abundance in the field. Unsprayed plots had higher mean number of insects than plots sprayed with crude neem extracts. At 5 – 8 and 9 -12 WAT, unsprayed plots had the highest mean number of insect pests (16.80 and 17.30) as against the plots sprayed with neem extracts (9.90 and 13.30) respectively. At 10 WAT, the unsprayed plots also had the highest mean number of damaged leaves (4.80) when compared with plots sprayed with neem extract (2.0). It can, therefore, be safely inferred that Z. variegatus, O. nigeriensis, P marginella and L. villosa are the major insect pests of T. occidentalis in Owerri West Area of lmo State which incidence could be greatly reduced by the application of neem seed extracts.