Tagetes Minuta Formulation Effect Sitophilus Zeamais (Weevils) Control in Stored Maize Grain

Abstract

The research was carried out at Chaminuka Training Centre in Mt Darwin district of Zimbabwe. Maize producers in the rural areas are challenged by storage pests particularly the Sitophilus zeamais. Affordable and readily available protectants are needed. A common weed, Tagetes minuta, was assessed for its potential to control Sitophilus zeamais. This provides a sustainable and degradable pesticide to the poor farmers. Maize grain samples arranged in a complete randomized design (CRD) were infected with 32 weevils each. The research was run for 8 weeks with the objectives to determine the efficacy of varying forms of Tagetes minuta on Sitophilus zeamais and to establish the effect of Tagetes minuta on maize grain weight loss. Weevil counts were taken on fortnight bases to establish mortalities. Grain weight loss was assessed using the Thousand Grain Method (T G M). There were variations on treatments with varied forms. The ground Tagetes minuta had the highest effect on both weight loss and weevil mortality compared to un- ground Tagetes minuta (p = 0.001). It was concluded that the ground Tagetes minuta works through a wider spectrum by causing physical and physiological effects on the weevil resulting in mortalities.