Effectiveness of Hermetic Bags and Botanical Pesticides in Reducing Quantitative Post-Harvest Losses of Beans (Phaselous Vulgaris)
- Author
- Mafunga Bridget
- Title
- Effectiveness of Hermetic Bags and Botanical Pesticides in Reducing Quantitative Post-Harvest Losses of Beans (Phaselous Vulgaris)
- Abstract
- Bean weevils are important storage pests of legumes worldwide, causing 60-90% losses among Zimbabwe’s smallholder farmers. rendered a worldwide pests of legume stored products. In Zimbabwe’s, smallholder farmers, these insects may cause a very great post-harvest loss and also the insect have been recognized as an important constraint, with losses ranging to about 60-90 percent. The majority of farmers do not apply any measures to control the pest while a few use synthetic pesticides that pose harm to users and the environment.While the majority of small holder farmers leave the grains untreated and this may lead to quantitative post-harvest losses. The minority of smallholder farmers are currently use synthetic pesticides in controlling the pest, while environmental and residual effects of these chemical are of increasing concern. This study evaluated the effectiveness of hermetic bags and botanical pesticides in reducing quantitative post-harvest losses ofin beans caused by the weevils. (Phaselous vulgaris). Three types of hermetic bags were used in the study (triple, double and single hermetic bags). Also Aloe barbadensis miller (Aloe), Azadirachta indica (neem) and Helianthus annus L. (Sunflower) powder were used as botanical pesticides on the experiment. Shumba pesticides was used as positive control on the experiment. Before commencement of the experiment, the researcher cleaned the seed using winnowing method to remove all the impurities which may contaminate the results of the experiment. Also bean seed was refrigerated for 48 hours to ensure that all weevils were killed before the beginning of the experiment. In each hermetic bag, the researcher put 2kgs of bean seed and ordinary bags were used for sugar beans with botanical pesticides, shumba pesticide and negative control bag. In all bags, the researcher put 2kgs of sugar beans. The balance scale was used to weigh the bean seed. The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design, and replicated three times. Bean weevil mortality was assessed at 2, 4, 6 and 8 week intervals. Also percentage weight loss and moisture content was assessed at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks intervals. . There was significant difference (p<0.05) in number of weevil mortality and grain weight loss among treatments . The results showed that hermetic bags were most effective especially triple and double hermetic bags as evidenced by high weevil mortality percentage, low or none multiplication percentage and maintenance of weight and moisture percentage. It concluded that hermetic bags have good properties to manage bruchids in legume storage and could be used as alternative control option.
- Date
- 2023
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- Botanical Pesticides
- Beans (Phaselous Vulgaris)
- Supervisor
- Dr. Chikuvire
- Item sets
- Department of Crop Sciences
