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<p>In Ethiopia, maize production is significantly threatened by insect pests such as stalk borers and fall armyworm (FAW), as well as the major&#xa0;ear rots, notably Gibberella ear rot (GER) and Fusarium ear rot (FER). Smallholder farmers, particularly those operating in resource-limited environments, often lack effective and accessible pest management strategies. Thus, the current study aimed to evaluate the effect of using the "push-pull" (PP)-cropping system, which involves inter-cropping (maize) with insect-repellent forage legume&#xa0;in the genus&#xa0;Desmodium (Desmodium uncinatum) as a "push" plant and the&#xa0;Brecaria grass (Brachiaria decumbens) forage&#xa0;as the "pull" plant on the incidence of maize stalk borers and FAW and the intensity of GER and FER at Bako, western Ethiopia. Field trials with the cropping systems (maize cropping in the PP-system, maize mono-cropping, and maize mono-cropping with insecticide/Radiant 120SC-treatment) randomized to the main plot units and three hybrid maize varieties randomized to the sub-plot units were arranged in a split-plot design with three replications during the main cropping seasons of 2021 to 2022. Three maize hybrids (BH546, BH549, and P3812W) were planted in subplots at a spacing of 75 × 30 cm in four rows with a 10&#xa0;m row length. The incidence and severity of GER and FER, were recorded upon manual harvest at physiological maturity. Some important agronomic traits were also recorded during the maize growing seasons.&#xa0;The analysis of variance confirmed highly significant (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.001) interaction among cropping systems and maize hybrid varieties in both seasons. However, no significant interactions were indicated among the cropping seasons for stalk borer, foliar damage <i>p</i> = 0.116, ear damage, <i>p</i> = 0.429 and FAW; foliar damage, <i>p</i> = 0.925, ear damage, <i>p</i> = 0.446 as well as ear rots severity; FER, <i>p</i> = 0.778 and GER, <i>p</i> = 0.054 were observed between the cropping seasons. Among the tested varieties, BH546 recorded significantly (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.001) lower insect infestation and ear rot disease intensity (FER and GER) with the PP-cropping system and Radiant 120SC insecticide treatment when compared to the non-treated mono-cropping system. Additionally, the PP-cropping system improved agronomic traits such as grain yield, plant height, ear height, ear length, ear diameter&#xa0;and kernel characteristics&#xa0;(grain weight), particularly using the BH546 hybrid, suggesting that hybrid selection is critical to maximizing the benefits of inter-cropping strategies. This finding imply that the strategy could be further verified on the small holder farmers field before recommending to be used by small-holder farmers&#xa0;in major maize-growing regions in Ethiopia.</p>

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Effect of cropping system and maize variety on major insect pests of maize and intensity of Fusarium and Gibberella ear rot diseases at Bako, western Ethiopia

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月27日

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  • Temesgen Deressa,
  • Girma Adugna,
  • Suresh L. M,
  • Zelalem Bekeko,
  • Debela Diro,
  • Ketema Bekele,
  • Gemechu Getachew,
  • Belay Garoma,
  • Mesele Haile

摘要

In Ethiopia, maize production is significantly threatened by insect pests such as stalk borers and fall armyworm (FAW), as well as the major ear rots, notably Gibberella ear rot (GER) and Fusarium ear rot (FER). Smallholder farmers, particularly those operating in resource-limited environments, often lack effective and accessible pest management strategies. Thus, the current study aimed to evaluate the effect of using the "push-pull" (PP)-cropping system, which involves inter-cropping (maize) with insect-repellent forage legume in the genus Desmodium (Desmodium uncinatum) as a "push" plant and the Brecaria grass (Brachiaria decumbens) forage as the "pull" plant on the incidence of maize stalk borers and FAW and the intensity of GER and FER at Bako, western Ethiopia. Field trials with the cropping systems (maize cropping in the PP-system, maize mono-cropping, and maize mono-cropping with insecticide/Radiant 120SC-treatment) randomized to the main plot units and three hybrid maize varieties randomized to the sub-plot units were arranged in a split-plot design with three replications during the main cropping seasons of 2021 to 2022. Three maize hybrids (BH546, BH549, and P3812W) were planted in subplots at a spacing of 75 × 30 cm in four rows with a 10 m row length. The incidence and severity of GER and FER, were recorded upon manual harvest at physiological maturity. Some important agronomic traits were also recorded during the maize growing seasons. The analysis of variance confirmed highly significant (P < 0.001) interaction among cropping systems and maize hybrid varieties in both seasons. However, no significant interactions were indicated among the cropping seasons for stalk borer, foliar damage p = 0.116, ear damage, p = 0.429 and FAW; foliar damage, p = 0.925, ear damage, p = 0.446 as well as ear rots severity; FER, p = 0.778 and GER, p = 0.054 were observed between the cropping seasons. Among the tested varieties, BH546 recorded significantly (P < 0.001) lower insect infestation and ear rot disease intensity (FER and GER) with the PP-cropping system and Radiant 120SC insecticide treatment when compared to the non-treated mono-cropping system. Additionally, the PP-cropping system improved agronomic traits such as grain yield, plant height, ear height, ear length, ear diameter and kernel characteristics (grain weight), particularly using the BH546 hybrid, suggesting that hybrid selection is critical to maximizing the benefits of inter-cropping strategies. This finding imply that the strategy could be further verified on the small holder farmers field before recommending to be used by small-holder farmers in major maize-growing regions in Ethiopia.