MANAGEMENT OF STEM BORERS ON SOME QUALITYPROTEIN MAIZE VARIETIES

Four Quality Protein Maize (QPM) varieties: Dent, Sakatifu,Flint, Sammaz 14 and TZEE (Local Check) were evaluated for their response tostem borers. Furadan 3G was applied at the rate of 20 kg/ha at planting for thecontrol of the stem borers. The stem borers damage was assessed by determiningthe number of leaves with ‘windows’ and plants with ‘deadhearts’. The numberof exit holes and tunnels on the stem were also determined and the tunnel lengthmeasured. Varieties Dent and Sakatifu had more windows, deadhearts, exit holes,tunnels and longer tunnel lengths than varieties Flint and Sammaz 14. TheFuradan treatment reduced the borers infestation and increased the yield of theQPM varieties. Varieties Sakatifu and Dent were found to be more susceptiblewith tunnel lengths of 8.17 and 5.53 cm respectively. Sammaz 14 and Flint werefound to be more tolerant to the stem borers infestation and gave the best yieldsof 3.19 and 2.95 tons/hectare respectively which were not significantly differentfrom TZEE (check).