Effect of Neem (Azadiracta Indica A. Juss) Extract of Different Concentrations on the Management of Insect Pests of Garden Eggs (Solanum Melongena) in Birim Central Municipality in the Eastern Region of Ghana

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December, 2015
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Garden egg (Solanum melongena), is a specie which has wide distribution throughout tropical Africa. It is an important solanaceous vegetable crop in Ghana. However, pests particularly insects, continue to ravage crops and without proper protection systems, farmers continue to lose most of their produce. Pest control, as practiced in most developing countries relies mainly on the use of synthetic insecticides. Natural or botanical insecticides serve as the best alternative to synthetic insecticides. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of neem leaf water extract of different concentrations in the management of insect pests of garden eggs (Solanum melongena). The experimental design used in the study was Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five treatments and three replications. Data was collected on the following parameters; plant height, fruit weight, fruit and leaf damage, insect pests, flowering and yield. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. The descriptive statistics was used to find the mean of the various parameters. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was used to analyze the data to determine the significant differences between the various treatments in the study. Means of the results on the parameters were used to construct tables and bar charts to show the trends of results of the study. Effect of neem leaf water extract was observed for insect pests that infested the garden eggplant for the different treatments, fruit weight, plant height and flowering. In addition, plant growth and yield were also observed. Significant differences were recorded for insect infestation on garden egg leaves among the various treatments and the control. The neem leaf water extract was found to have profound effect on the growth of the plants. Concentration of 150 g/l showed the highest leave numbers while 50 g/l concentration of neem leaf water extract exhibited intermediate high leaf numbers. Fruit weight for 150 g/l and 100 g/l concentration showed significant difference among the treatments. The most striking result was with the pest observed in the field, there was no insect found on the 100 g/l concentration of neem leaf extract treatment which lead to high production of fruits. It was observed that the 100 g/l concentration produced the highest yield per acre at the end of the experiment. From the study it was recommended that; firstly, Agricultural extension should be used as a major channel of communication to farmers to incorporate the use of neem into their crop production to manage insect pests. Secondly, the 100 g/l concentration of neem leaf extract must be recommended to farmers.
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A thesis submitted to the Department of Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements Master of Science degree in Environmental Science,
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