COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF NUTRIENT COMPOSTION AND FALL ARMYWORM INFESTATION IN ORGANIC AND INORGANIC MAIZE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN NDUME, SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIA.

Abstract

This study evaluated the comparative effects of organically and inorganically maize production systems on maize nutrient composition, yield and level of fall armyworm infestation on the maize plant during the 2023 cropping season at the National Forestry Research Institute located at Ahiaeke Ndume, in Umuahia North, South Eastern Nigeria. Five treatments were evaluated which included: Control (Sole Maize), maize with Poultry manure + chemical pesticide, maize with Chemical fertilizer + chemical pesticide, maize with Chemical fertilizer only and maize with Poultry manure + Neem extract. These were arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 replications. Data was collected on growth performance, yield parameters, percentage infestation, and proximate
and mineral composition of the maize grain after harvest. Data collected were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and treatment means were separated using the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at 5% probability level. Results from the study showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) among treatments for the parameters assessed. Sole maize (control) recorded the highest infestation level (36.66), higher leaf damage (2.08), and higher insect count (7.80), which reduced yield and grain quality while organic treatments that combined botanical extracts with poultry manure, had significantly lower infestation (12.08), lower leaf damage (0.44), and lower insect count (2.20) which increased the grain yield and quality. Although other integrated treatments perfomed better than the control, the organic treatment outperformed them all. Also the nutrient composition of the maize grain performed better in the plots with organic treatments compared with every other treatment while the control which has no treatment gave the least nutrient compostion. It was observed that generally the control plot which had no treatment had poor performance compared with other treated plots and this was followed by plots treated with only chemical fertilizer. Plots with chemical inputs showed moderate performance in yield and lower nutrient component compared with the plots with organic treatments. This study demonstrates that organic management practices, particularly the integration of poultry manure and plant extracts can enhance maize productivity, improve grain nutritional quality and effectively reduce fall armyworm infestation and therefore should be adopted in the management of the maize fall armyworm.