Evaluation of Zerofly® Hermetic Storage Bags for Protection of Maize Against Insect Pests in Ghana

High post-harvest loss of maize due to stored product insect pests remains a food security challenge in Ghana. This field study evaluated the effectiveness of a novel technology, ZeroFly® Hermetic storage bags with different inner liners, to protect maize against infestation by Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky and Prostephanus truncatus Horn. The study was carried out in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, during the period September 2017 to March 2018. Maize pre-fumigated with Phostoxin® was stored in 50-kg ZeroFly® Hermetic storage bags. Experimental treatments were 20-μm High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) inner liner with oxygen absorber, 20-μm HDPE inner liner without oxygen absorber, 80-μm Polyester and Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol (EVOH) inner liner with oxygen absorber, 80-μm EVOH inner liner without oxygen absorber, 50-μm Charter NEX high barrier inner liner with oxygen absorber, 50-μm Charter NEX medium barrier inner liner with oxygen absorber, and untreated maize-filled 50-kg polypropylene bags without oxygen absorber (control). Maize-filled 50-kg polypropylene bags without oxygen absorber were used as Control. The percent insect damaged kernels on number basis (%IDKnb) recorded in the 20-μm HDPE liners and polypropylene bags were \u3e 15% compared to \u3c 1.8% recorded in the other treatments. Weight losses in the 80-μm EVOH and 50 -μm Charter NEX high and medium barrier liners were \u3c 0.35%. Aflatoxin levels were below the 15 ppb threshold. The results of the study showed that, ZeroFly® Hermetic storage bags with 80-μm EVOH inner liner and 50-μm Charter NEX high and medium barrier inner liners protected stored maize against S. zeamais and P. truncatus over the 6-month storage period

Management of Insect Pests using Chlorpyrifos Applications at Different Growth Stages of Tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L.

Field studies were conducted in Kumasi, Ghana in the major and minor planting seasons of 2013 to evaluate the effect of chlorpyrifos applications at different growth stages of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L) for the management of insect pests. The treatments were: Chlorpyrifos at 1.5 ml / 0.5 litre of water applied (i) at the vegetative growth stage only (sprayed vegetative), (ii) at the reproductive growth stage only (starting at 50 % flowering (sprayed reproductive) and (iii) throughout the crop’s growth period (sprayed throughout). A control plot that received only water was also maintained. In both seasons, significantly (P < 0.05) less number of Bemisia tabaci Gennadius and Thrips tabaci Linderman were collected from the insecticide-treated tomato plots than the untreated, control plots, but no significant differences were observed among the treatments in the aggregations of Aphis gossypii Glover and Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner). Chlorpyrifos application in the sprayed throughout plots significantly (P < 0.05) reduced damage to tomato fruits in the major season but not in the minor season. Tomato fruits from the sprayed vegetative and sprayed reproductive plots had comparable damage as the fruits from untreated control plots. Chlorpyrifos application also significantly (P < 0.05) increased yield of tomato from the sprayed throughout plots in both seasons. The best protection to the crop against the insect pests was obtained from weekly applications of chlorpyrifos throughout the growth period of the crop (sprayed throughout plots). Key words: Tomato, Chlorpyrifos, insect pests, management, population dynamic

Evaluation of Insecticides for the Management of Insect Pests of Tomato, Solanum Lycopersicon L.

Field studies were undertaken in Kumasi, Ghana in 2012 and 2013 to evaluate the efficacy of two insecticides i.e. Lambda Super 2.5 EC (a.i- lambda cyhalothrion) and Cymethoate Super EC (a. i.-cypermethrin and cymethoate) for the management of insect pests on tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L. Lambda Super was applied at 1.5 ml/0.5 L of water whilst Cymethoate Super was applied at 0.25 ml/0.5 L of water. A control plot (water application only) was also maintained. Whiteflies, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius), thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, aphids, Aphis gossypii (Glover), leaf miners, Liriomyza sp. and the tomato fruit worm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) were the most important insect pests collected on tomato in the area. In 2012, there were no significant differences among the insecticide-treated plots and the control with respect to the densities of B. tabaci, A. gossypii, Liriomyza sp. and H. armigera. Cymethoate Super treated plots recorded significantly lower number of T. tabaci than the control plots. However, in 2013, the control plots recorded significantly more aggregations of B. tabaci, H. armigera and A. gossypii than the Lambda Super and Cymethoate Super treated plots. No significant differences were obtained in the numbers of Liriomyza sp. and T. tabaci among the treatments. In 2012, the insecticide-treated plots recorded significantly higher fruit yield than the control but there were no significant differences among the treatments with respect to percent damaged fruits and mean shoot dry weight in 2013. Lambda Super and Cymethoate Super can be used to manage insect pests on tomato for increased yield. Keywords: Insecticides, efficacy, tomato pests, population densities, yiel

Evaluation of Eggplant, Solanum spp. Germplasm against Field Insect Pests’ Infestation at Bunso in the Eastern Region of Ghana

Eggplant (Solanum spp.) germplasm from CSIR – Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute, Bunso, Ghana were evaluated in field experiments against insect pests’ infestation during the major rainy seasons of 2009 and 2010. Twenty-six accessions were evaluated in 2009 and five were subjected to further evaluation in 2010. Insect species recorded on eggplant accessions in both years included Aphis gossypii (Glover), Thrips tabaci (Lindeman) and Leucinodes orbonalis (Gueneé). Camponatus sp. (carpenter ants) was also collected in 2009.  In both 2009 and 2010, leaves of accession GH 5171 harbored significantly lower numbers of A. gossypii.  Leaves of accessions GH 1208 and GH 1113 also harbored the least number of T. tabaci in 2009 and 2010, respectively. T. tabaci preferred flowers to leaves of all eggplant accessions evaluated in 2010. The population dynamics of T. tabaci also fluctuated less on eggplant flowers than on the leaves. The percentage stems attacked by L. orbonalis were not significantly different among accessions in both years.  With respect to fruit infestation by L. orbonalis, although fruits of accessions GH 1208, GH 3944 and GH 3947 were significantly (P < 0.001) less susceptible to infestation in 2009 their yields were relatively low.  Yield obtained ranged from 0 kg/ha in accession GH 1202 (2009) to 837.86 kg/ha in accession GH 5183 (2010). Accessions GH 1113 and GH 5171 combined a relatively good yield with moderate levels of tolerance to all insect pest species identified in this experiment and are consequently recommended for crop improvement programs. Keywords: Accession, Aphis gossypii, eggplant, Leucinodes orbonalis, Thrips tabac

Evaluation of Hermetic Storage Bags for the Preservation of Yellow Maize in Poultry Farms in Dormaa Ahenkro, Ghana

Using low-quality maize, resulting from insect pests and fungal attack, for formulating feed reduces chicken performance. This study evaluated the effectiveness of hermetic storage bags to keep insect pest and mycotoxin levels in check in yellow maize. The study was conducted in storehouses at three poultry farms in Dormaa Ahenkro, Bono Region, Ghana. The experiment was set up in a Randomized Complete Block Design with ZeroFly® Hermetic (ZFH), Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS), and Polypropylene (PP) bags as treatments. In each treatment, twelve 50 kg samples of untreated maize were each put in 100 kg capacity bags. Two bags in each treatment were destructively sampled monthly for 6 months. The number of insects was significantly higher in the PP bag (161.00 ± 4.25), compared to the PICS and ZFH bags: 7.00 ± 0.29 and 4.50 ± 0.76, respectively. The PICS and ZFH bags had less insect damage and lower weight loss than the PP bags. Aflatoxin and fumonisin levels were below the recommended safe thresholds of 15 ppb and 4 ppm, respectively, in all the bags. With the exception of ash, proximate analyses were higher for all variables in the PICS and ZFH bags. The study showed that PICS and ZFH bags conserved maize quality better than the PP bag