EFFECTS OF NEEM OIL AND PHYTO-EXTRACT OF LANTANA CAMARA ON SPODOPTERA FRUGIPERDA (LEPIDOPTERA-NOCTUIDAE), CORN PEST IN BANKIM, ADAMAWA-CAMEROON

In sub-Saharan Africa, million people depend on maize for food. But the losses caused by Spodoptera frugiperda on maize amount to millions of dollars, and the chemical control costly and not eco-friendly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ethanolic extract of Lantana camara and neem oil (Azadirachta indica) in reducing crop damage in maize cultivation in Bankim. This was carried in a field experiment using a randomized complete blocks design with the following treatments; 0.5L.ha-1 and 1L.ha-1 of neem and 10% and 20% ethanolic extracts of L. camara replicated three times. Results show that neem oil treatments significantly reduced (p< 0.05) crop damage by S. frugiperda on the leaves of maize from 49th to 63rd day after sowing (DAS) compared to the control treatment. Neem oil at 1L.ha-1 had a significant effect on the incidence of S. frugiperda at the 35th and 49th DAS relative to the control treatment. Consequently, neem oil treatment produced yield (4137.33 kg.ha-1) higher than the control treatment (2812.66 kg.ha-1). Neem at 0.5L.ha-1 and 1L.ha-1 showed significant differences in the number of damaged ears compared to control. Ethanolic extracts of L. camara significantly (p < 0.05) reduced crop damage relative to the control, from the 49th to the 63rd DAS. On the incidence of damage and the percentage of damaged cobs, L. camara at 20% showed a significant difference on the 35th and 49th DAS. Consequently, the number of insects collected in the control plots during the experiment was higher relative to the treated plots. Neem oil at 1L.ha-1 showed reduced crop damage and the number of larvae of Fall Armyworm (FAW), thus increased the yield of maize.