Department of Biological Sciences, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author.
1Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
With the avalanche of synthetic insecticides and their misuse, studies on the use of neem plant parts namely, neem leaves (NL), neem barks (NB), neem roots (NR), neem leaf, bark and root combination (NLBR) and neem seed kernel power (NSKP) extracts were evaluated for oviposition deterrence on pepper and tomato fruits against Atherigona orientalis (Schiner). A 2% solution of each of the neem plant part extracts when applied individually was effective against the pest on both pepper and tomato fruits. A combination of neem leaf, bark and root was more effective than the individual neem plant parts. A 2% Neem seed kernel powder was significantly more effective than other neem plant parts and also significantly offered the highest relative protection (RP) to pepper and tomato fruits. Percentage RP followed this order: NSKP>NLBR>NR>NB>NL.
