Assessment of damage and insect infestations on maize grains in three markets within Ilorin metropolis

Abstract

This study evaluated the insect emergence and percentage weight loss on white and yellow maize sold in Ilorin markets (Ipata, Ago, and Mandate). Samples were collected from three different stores per markets and brought to Entomology laboratory of NSPRI for analysis. For each store, 100 g of each grain were placed separately in 360 ml kilner jars and left undisturbed for 14 and 21 days respectively. Result of emergence of Sitopilus zeamais on white maize, reveals that there was no significance difference in the emergence of insects in the three markets throughout the months except for the month of January 2020 where insect emergence from Mandate market (0%) was significantly lower compared to Ago (12.66%) and Ipata market (7.00%) respectively. Also, there was no significant difference in the percentage weight loss of white maize in the three markets throughout the months of study except in august 2019, where Mandate differ from Ago market. The result of insect emergence on yellow maize shows that there was no significance difference in emergence of insects between the three markets throughout the months of the study. Similarly, the comparison of the market across the months reveals that there was no significant difference in emergence of insect on yellow maize in all the markets across the period of study except the month of October, 2019 which differs from January 2020. As for weight loss, there was no significant difference in the percentage weight loss in the three markets throughout the month of the study.