EVALUATION OF NEEM AND ENDOD OIL EXTRACT AGAINST CABBAGE APHID IN NEJO DISTRICT, WESTERN ETHIOPIA

Cabbage (Brassicae oleracea L.) is widely grown vegetable that makes significant contribution to household and national economy in Ethiopia. However one of the major constraints to the production of cabbage in Ethiopia is infestation with cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae L.). Field experiment was conducted to evaluate Endod (Phytolacca dodecandra) and Neem (Azadirachta indica) oil extracts against cabbage aphid in Nedjo ATVET College. Three levels (0, 0.575 and 1.15 litter per hectare) of each of Endod and Neem oil extracts were randomly assigned to cabbage plots in randomized complete block design with three replications. Distilled water or Endod: Neem combination of 0:0 litter/ha was used as the control treatment. Data on entomological and Phonological parameters such as ccabbage aphid population, incidence percentages, days to maturity, stand count and cabbage yield were collected. The results obtained indicated that applications (spraying) of different levels and combinations of Endod and Neem oil were effective in the reduction of cabbage aphid load as compared to the to the control treatment groups. The highest reduction in aphid population per plot of 41 and 43% was recorded from the plot assigned to Endod: Neem combination of 1.15:0.0 and 1.15:0.575 respectively. Significantly lower (P<0.05) mean incidence percentage of 23.6% was obtained from the treatment plots receiving Endod: Neem combination of 1.15:1.15, followed by the treatment plots assigned to Endod: Neem combination of 1.15: 0.575. Similarly significantly shorter (P<0.05) mean days to maturity of 94 days was obtained from the treatment plots receiving Endod: Neem combinations of 0.575:0.575 liter per hectare. There was increase in the number of cabbage with increase in levels and combinations of the two treatment oils, indicating that the number of cabbage is directly proportional to the levels and combinations of application of the treatments. Significantly higher (P<0.05) mean stand count of 31.33 was obtained from the treatment plots receiving Endod: Neem combinations of 1.15:1.15 liter per hectare. The highest mean head weight of 2.15 kg per plot was observed at Endod: Neem combination of 1.15:1.15 liters per hectare. The results obtained also showed that maximum yield of 61.66 t ha-1was harvested from the treatment plot at the maximum application level of the two treatment oils (1.15:1.15). Head size of cabbage was significantly (P≤0.05) influenced by the main effect of endod botanical rate and significantly (p ≤0.01) influenced by the main effect of Neem rate. In summary the results of the current study showed that applications (spraying) of different levels and combinations of Endod and Neem oil is effective against cabbage aphid as measured by entomological and Phonological parameters.