The Efficacy of Flubendaimide Insecticide Formulation on the Fall Armyworm
Abstract
Lately Spodoptera frugiperda has become a major field pest of maize reducing the photosynthetic area of leaves thereby causing yield loss. Since it is a new invasive pest in Uganda, chemical control is the first time of action in its control.
The relative efficacy of a Flubendiamide insecticide formulation and the appropriate application rate against FAW were evaluated. Flubendiamide 480g/L the rates of 100ml/ha, 200ml/ha and 300ml/ha was assessed against Thunder (Imidacloprid 100g/L + Beta-cyfluthrin 45g/L) and Striker (Pyrethrin 6% + Piperonyl Butoxide 60%) at rates of 500ml/ha. An untreated control was included and the treatment arranged in a randomized complete block design. Extent of foliar damage by FAW was assessed and scored using the Davis and William (1992) score guide at 35 days after planting and thereafter every fortnight after pesticide application that is at 50, 65 and 80 days after planting. Cobs were harvested from the 10 tagged plants in each plot, threshed and weighed to obtain yield. Phytotoxicity and damage to the cob was assessed.
Flubendiamide 480g/L application significantly (P≥0.5) reduced FAW foliar damage compared to the control. Flubendamide 480g/L applied at a rate of 200ml ha-1 reduced foliar damage to a score of 2.719 compared to a score of 2.912 on plants sprayed with 100ml ha-1 and a damage score of 3.125 on the plants sprayed with 300ml ha-1. These were however, significantly (P≥0.5) different from the damage score of 3.615 in the unsprayed control and 3.653 were the standard check was used. There was no significant difference between yield obtained in all the treatments. In treatment of Flubendamide at a rate of 300 ml ha-1, the highest yield of 3814.6 kgha-1 was obtained followed by 200 ml ha-1 Flubendamide with yield of 3270.7 kgha-1, then the standard check obtained a yield of 3057.3 kgha-1 and untreated control had yield of 2972.6 kgha-1 while Flubendamide at a rate of 100 ml ha-1 obtained the lowest yield of 2809.3 kgha-1. Flubendamide SC 480 can be used effectively reduce foliar damage by FAW which can translate to higher yield.