Effects of four agro-botanical extracts and three types of storage sacks on the control of insect pests and mould of stored dried yam chips

Plant botanical pesticides are auspicious alternatives to the use of synthetic chemical pesticides in the control of pests because of their minimal costs and ecological side effects. This experiment was conducted at the pest management technology laboratory, College of Agriculture Mokwa. The work was aimed at determining the effects of four agro-botanical extracts and three types of storage sacks on the controls of insect pest and mould of stored dried yam chips. The treatments used were; Ginger polythene (GP), Ginger jute polythene (GJP), Ginger jute (GJ), Pawpaw polythene (PP), Pawpaw jute polythene, (PJP), Pawpaw jute, (PJ), Lemon polythene, (LP), Lemon Jute polythene( LJP), Lemon jute (LJ), Cleomaceae polythene(CP), Cleomaceae jute polythene (CJP), Cleomaceae jute (CJ), and Contro, C. The experiment was laid out in complete randomized design (CRD) with thirteen (13) treatments replicated three (3) times. The treatments were factorially combined. The storage bags were 0.05mm gauge polythene bags, 0.05mm gauge polythene-lined-jute bags and jute bags. The bags were opened after 6 months of storage. Data on Visual quality, Insect activities, Mouldiness, Dry weight loss were taken. The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were used to partition the significant different at 5% probability where differences exist. For the visual quality there was significant difference between GJ, GJP and GP there was also between PP and GJ, GJP and GP. Visual quality was best with C, CJ and CP. For insect infestation there was significant difference between CP, CPJ, CJ and GP, and GJP. Insect infestation was highest with GP, LJP, LP and PJP. It was lowest with CP, CJP and LJ. There was no significant difference in all the values obtained for mouldiness, though CJ, and C have the highest chips with moulds and lowest with GJP. The correlation matrix shows strong interaction among the treatments with r value of between 0.99 and 0.5. PJ has the highest number of hole (902) while LG (73) and CP (42) are the lowest. CP has the highest mould (100 chips) and GJP has the lowest (61chips). LP has the highest weight loss (0.5) and GP has the lowest (0.7). It is obvious from this study that the tested agro-botanicals have potentials as storage insecticides. However, additional research is needed to determine the shelf life of the agro botanicals.