Effect of intercropping sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) with maize (Zea mays L.) on damage and economic losses caused by rodent species in some genotype of maize, Egypt

Baghdadi, S. A. S.; Elrawy, A. A. A.

doi:10.21608/aasj.2022.267913

Effect of intercropping sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) with maize (Zea mays L.) on damage and economic losses caused by rodent species in some genotype of maize, Egypt

Document Type : Research article

Authors

Agricultural Zoology and Nematology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt

10.21608/aasj.2022.267913

Abstract

This study intends to determine the impact of intercropping sesame as a secondary crop with maize as a main crop on lowering the amount of rodent infestation in maize, which is a significant crop in the study area in Qena governorate, Egypt. Due to its importance as a fodder crop for feeding livestock and poultry, maize is regarded as one of the most crucial strategic crops in both the Arab Republic of Egypt and the rest of the globe. Many nations, including Egypt, have a big imbalance between their output and consumption, forcing them to import a lot of goods to make up for the lack of production. Highest rodent infestation was recorded in Balady, it was 19.50% and 16.17% followed by genotype single cross Hay tak 2066, it was 15.17% and 12.33%, while the lowest one was genotype single cross Hay tak 2055, it was 13.50 and 10.33% in maize without and with sesame respectively. The percentage of economic losses caused by rodents show that the highest value of loss was recorded in genotype single cross Hay tak 2066 was about 3.00 and 2.47 ardeb/feddan (Feddan = 4200 m² = 0.420 hectares = 1.037 acres, Ardeb = 5.44 imperial or 5.619 U.S. bushels) worth about 3600 and 2964 EGP, representing about 15.17 and 12.33% of the total production as a result of rodents’ attack in the case of cultivation alone.

Keywords