Comparative Effects of Selected Synthetic Insecticides on the Control of Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda [J. E. Smith]) on Maize

Abstract

This study was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Crop Protection, Lagos State University of Science and Technology, Ikorodu, Nigeria, to compare selected synthetic insecticides for the control of armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), on maize. A randomised complete block design with three replications was used. Six treatments were evaluated: positive control, negative control, chlorantraniliprole + lambda-cyhalothrin, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin + profenofos and lambda-cyhalothrin. Data were collected on plant height, stem girth and number of leaves at 2, 4 and 6 weeks after sowing. Days to 50% tasselling, silking and anthesis, cob weight, number of grains, damage score, ear form score, ear height, cob diameter and yield per plot were also recorded. The data were subjected to analysis of variance, and significantly different means were separated using Duncan’s multiple range test at the 5% probability level. Significant treatment effects (p < 0.05) were recorded for several growth, phenological, damage and yield-related traits. Positive control, lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin + profenofos and chlorantraniliprole + lambda-cyhalothrin generally produced better growth and yield responses than chlorpyrifos and the negative control. The negative control consistently recorded poorer performance. The findings indicate that lambda-cyhalothrin and cypermethrin + profenofos were the most promising insecticide options evaluated for armyworm control in maize under the study conditions.