Abstract:
The laboratory study on the effectiveness of hot pepper as protectant for maize against Sitophilus
zeamaize was carried out. Different treatment concentration in (gram) of hot pepper was
administer in three replicates for each pepper concentration on 20 seeds of Maize grains in 15
different plastic containers with lid. Twenty adult Sitophiluszeamaise pest were introduced into
each of the experimental container and then screw closed with the container lid and then kept on
laboratory shelves under ambient environmental condition for 24 days. The number of
emergence holes on the maize grains, pest survival and mortality rate in each set
upwereevaluated at the end of the study period (24, days).The results reveal that 30% of the pest
died during the study period (24 days) in the hot pepper treatment concentration of 1g. 50% of
the pest died in the hot pepper treatment concentration of 2g. 55% of pest died in the hot pepper
treatment concentration of 3.5, while 75% of the pest died in the treatment concentration of 6g
corresponding to the initial evaluation of the survival rate of the pest in question. Significance of
theprotectant effect of the hot pepper treatment on maize grain against Sitophiluszeamaise attack
was evaluated by analysis of variance.The analysis of variance indicated that treatment of maize
grains with 1g, 2g, 3.5g and 6g of hot pepper shows very high significance difference at (p=-.001
and 0.005).The study revealed that hot pepper was effective in protecting maize seed against the
survival and the destructiveness of Sitophiluszeamaize The trend of the results indicate that the
hot pepper protectant effect increase with concentration (gram). |
