Project
Management of the Eggplant Fruit and Shoot Borer, Leucinodes orbonalis (Guenee): Evaluation of Farmers’ Indigenous Practices
Details
Project Code:
Not Available
Start Date:
1999
End Date:
2004
CRSP Phase:
Phase 2
Budget:
Not Available
Countries:
Philippines
Participants
Lead University:
Penn State University
Other Partners:
Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philippines)
Principal Investigator(s):
None
Co-Principal Investigator(s):
G.S. Arida, A.A. Duca, B.S. Punzal (Philippine Rice Research
Institute); E.G. Rajotte (Pennsylvania State University)
Overview
Eggplant farmers in the Philippines spray insecticides up to 58 times during the crop period. Insecticide spray is mostly directed to the fruit and shoot borer. Results of our earlier studies showed that spraying does more harm than good and it is more economical to avoid spraying. This project focused on evaluating farmers’ indigenous practices to control the pest, which is necessary because these might be good alternatives to insecticide spray thus reducing cost, hazards to farmers, consumers and the environment.
Objectives
To evaluate farmers' indigenous pest management practices against the eggplant fruit and shoot borer.
Outcomes
Researchers found that their weekly application of insecticides against the fruit and shoot borer had similar result as the untreated control plot and weekly removal of damaged fruits and shoots. Highest yields were obtained from untreated control plots and weekly removal of damaged fruits. Both treatments had the lowest percentage of damaged fruits. Hence, theapplication of insecticides was no better than the other treatments including the control.
