Efficacy of the Coragen Insecticide and Coragen Nanocapsules in Controlling the Corn Stem Borer Sesamia cretica (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Zea mays

Abstract

Abstract A field study was conducted at the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences/University of Baghdad to assess the efficacy of the pesticide Coragen and in the form of nanocapsules, comparing it with the pesticide Radiant to control the corn stem borer Sesamia cretica on maize. The results after two weeks of treatment showed that the nanocapsules of Coragen achieved the lowest percentage of corn stem borer infestation, reaching 5.50%, while in the Coragen form treatment was 10%. The highest percentage of infestation was in the Radiant treatment 21.10%, and in the Control treatment 24.403%. At harvest, the percentage of infestation in the nanoscapsules treatment of Coragen was the lowest at 8.87%, while it was 14.40% in the Coragen in treatment, and 24.400% in the Radiant treatment, compared to the Control treatment 29.970%. The nanocapsules treatment of Coragen also caused the least percentage of heart death, which was 3.30%, while Radiant gave the highest percentage at 7.70%, and the heart death percentage in the Control treatment was 12.20%. The results showed that the nanocapsules gave the lowest percentage of loss in plant height 5%, the number of tunnels 0.47 tunnel, tunnel length 3.50 cm, the percentage of excavated area 2.02%, and the yield weight 843 g. In comparison, Radiant recorded the highest percentage (10%, 1.53 tunnel, 9.99 cm, 5.84%, 674 g) respectively, compared to the Control treatment, which recorded (25%, 4.130 tunnels, 18.40 cm, 12.54%, 508 g) respectively.