EFFICACY OF LEMON BASIL (OCCIMUM BACILICUM) IN THE CONTROL OF FALL ARMYWORM-SPODOPTERA FRUGIPERDA (J.E SMITH)

Abstract

The spread and prevalence of diseases and insect pests are generally influenced and facilitated by large-scale monoculture. Techniques like intercropping relay and rotation can significantly improve disease and pest management. The many unknowns about insect pest and pathogens, such as their dynamics during the cropping season, pose a challenge to evidence-based pest control efforts. Pest control of any kind frequently comes at a financial and environmental cost, as well as some health implications, particularly when synthetic chemicals are used. Local botanicals have been proven to be a safe and environmentally friendly. This study determined the effects of the botanicals prepared from lemon basil –Ocimum basilicum on Fall Armyworm (FAW) overall damage levels in maize during the 2020 cropping season in the Guinea Savannah Ecological zones of northern Ghana. Prior to the botanical experiment a surveys of one hundred farmers were conducted during the 2020 cropping season. Based on the survey the study further applied processed various formulations of lemon basil material for the control of the fall armyworm because it was found to be the most dominant pest in the study area. According to the survey results, the majority of farmers practice continuous cropping, with maize being the most dominant crop in the area. The study also revealed that FAW is the most common economically destructive crop pest in the area. The study further revealed that a large proportion of farmers do not follow any safety protocol when handling chemicals, putting the health and safety of farmers, consumers, and the environment at risk. Furthermore, the application of a locally prepared extract of lemon basil on maize resulted in a positive effect on the FAW. There was no significant difference between the four treatments. The results also indicated that the soaked preparation has superior performance because there was no sign of pests attack on plants treated with the soaked solution plots during the seven-day application period. Extracts of lemon basil have chemical properties that proved to have positive effects on the control of FAW which was identified as major insect pest on maize from the surveys. Further studies on the application rates and the need to explore the oil components of lemon basil for the control of FAW will be helpful in the search for botanicals alternatives in the insect pest’s management.