The performance of palm-based emulsions in water (EW)-insecticide formulations was evaluated in the field against insect pests on longbean and cabbage. The insecticides used were deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin. Phytotoxicity symptoms were also not observed on the treated crops.
Statistical analyses (DMRT, P<0.05) on differences between treatments indicated that the palm EW-formulations were equally effective or significantly better than the commercial EC-formulations in controlling the pests on longbean and cabbage crops. Higher cabbage yields were observed using the commercial EC-formulations [2.8% a.i. (w/w) deltamethrin and 2.5% a.i. (w/w) lambda-cyhalothrin] and two palm EW-formulations [2.5% a.i. (w/w] lambda-cyhalothrin at the recommended and lower dosage (10 and 7.5 ml/10 litre, respectively), followed by the other two palm EW-formulations [2.8% a.i. (w/w) deltamethrin at the recommended and lower rate].
The untreated plots gave the highest number of fruit damage in longbean and the highest number of multiple heads (i.e., no yield) in cabbage when compared to the treated plots. In addition, no phytotoxicity symptom was observed in both the bean and cabbage crops, meaning that the crops showed good tolerance to all the treatments.