Performance of corn and pest occurrence as affected by the application of different levels of selected mangrove plant extracts

Abstract

The study was conducted at the experimental area of Capiz State University Pontevedra Campus which started October 24, 2018 to January 22, 2019. It aimed to determine the pest occurrence of insect pest species and performance of corn as affected by the different mangrove extracts and levels of application such as Excoecaria agallocha, Avecinnia officinalis and Rhizophora mucronata. This study used the two-factor in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The parameters on data gathering were insect pest occurrence, growth, and yield of OPV sweet corn variety. The result on the selected mangrove plant, R. mucronata shows a highly significant difference in the percentage damage as well as in the number of pest which infected the corn. Mortality of insect pests show a highly significant difference, specifically during week two (2) to week five (5) after the application of the mangrove extracts. Furthermore, pest insect occurrences were observed inclusively in week two (2) to week six (6). The height of corn at forty-five and sixty DAP showed a high significant difference as affected by the selected mangrove. Weight of ears was found highly significant, as well as the diameter of ear. The weights of ear with husk, dehusk corn ear, and biomass revealed a highly significant difference as to the selected mangrove application regardless of the variation of concentration of plant extracts. No Interaction effects were noted on the growth and yield of corn as influenced by the different selected mangrove extracts and levels of application.