Assessing efficacies of insect pest management methods for stored bagged maize preservation in storehouses located in Nigerian markets

• Published in: Journal of stored products research 2020-03, Vol.86, p.101566, Article 101566
• Main Authors: Nwaubani, Samuel I., Otitodun, Grace O., Ajao, Shekinat K., Opit, George P., Ala, Adeola A., Omobowale, Mobolaji O., Ogwumike, Jonathan C., Abel, Grace I., Ogundare, Moses O., Braimah, Jafar A., Gbenga, Busari S., Olenloa, Akhere E., Kolayemi, Olumuyiwa R., McNeill, Samuel G., Ileleji, Klein E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bularafa diatomaceous earth; PICS bag; Piper guineense; Reduced risk management; ZeroFly bag
• ISSN: 0022-474X; 1879-1212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jspr.2019.101566

Stored product insect pests cause significant losses in maize in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Control of these pests with conventional insecticides is fraught with health and environmental risks. Globally, several reduced-risk methods have been deployed as alternatives to conventional insecticides. In this study, conducted in February–December 2016, efficacies of five treatments to control insects in bagged maize stored in Nigerian market storehouses were evaluated. Treatments included a botanical (Piper guineense), Bularafa diatomaceous earth (DE), permethrin powder (Rambo™), PICS (hermetic) bags and ZeroFly® bags. The study also had a negative control comprising untreated maize in polypropylene bags. Study locations were in three grain markets, namely Eleekara market in Oyo town and Arisekola market in Ibadan, Oyo State, South West Nigeria, and Ago market in Ilorin, Kwara State, North Central Nigeria. Except in the case of PICS bags, each storehouse had six 100-kg bags for each storage method or treatment; these bags were sampled monthly. For PICS, each storehouse had 18 bags (∼80 kg each) and six were destructively sampled every 4 months. Psocids (total 3,614) and S. zeamais (total 1,255) were the most abundant types of insects found during the study. However, among all treatments, PICS bags were the most effective at mitigating population growth of all species of stored product insects encountered, and the number of psocids and S. zeamais found in PICS bags during the entire study were 0 and 8, respectively. The order of effectiveness of the treatments were PICS > Permethrin > ZeroFly > DE > Botanical > control. Data showed PICS, Permethrin, ZeroFly, and DE when used according to manufacturer’s instructions or label are effective and can be incorporated in integrated pest management of stored-product insects in maize storehouses. More research is required to explore how P. guineense can be made more efficacious. •PICS bags were effective against insects infesting maize in Nigeria markets.•PICS bags were effective even against Liposcelis spp. (psocids) infesting maize.•Sitophilus zeamais was the most predominant insect species infesting maize.•Psocids were the second most predominant group of insects infesting maize.•ZeroFly bags, permethrin (Rambo), and DE were effective against insect pests.