Influence of Agro-ecologies, Traditional Storage Containers and Major Insect Pests on Stored Maize (Zea mays L.) in Selected Woredas of Jimma Zone

Maize is a versatile cosmopolitan crop cultivated in diverse climate and used as sources of energy for humans and animals, raw materials for diverse industries, construction materials and fuel in rural areas. Worldwide demand for maize crop, its production and land coverage are increasing despite many biological, physical and environmental constraints. Impact of two agro-ecologies, two traditional storage structures, storage periods and major insect pests on maize variety BH-660 were studied in two selected Zones of Jimma, South Western Ethiopia in 2010. Three factors, the first two each at two levels and the other at four levels were arranged in Completely Randomized Design replicated twice. Number of insects, insect damaged kernels and percentage germination showed significant differences (p<0.05) in Gombisa and Sacks over the storage periods under both agro-ecologies. Under intermediate agro-ecology number of insects in 1 kg of grain increased from 1.83 to 101 and 79.10; insect damage increased from 2.42 to 20.75% and 2.33 to 20.08%; germination percentage decreased from 98.00 and 97.5% to 68.5 and 80.5% for grains stored in Gombisa and Sacks respectively over six months of storage periods. Similar trend was observed under lowland agro-ecology. Maize weevil (Sitophilus zeamais M.) and Angoumois grain moth (Sitotroga cerealella (O.)) were the two major insect pests identified from maize samples. Storage of maize grain for more than one moth demands eco-friendly maize weevil and grain moth management in both agro-ecologies and storage containers.