Morphometric Variations of Species of Sitophilus zeamais (Maize Weevil) in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja

Oyerinde A.A., Malann Y.D., Bolorunduro I.E., Solomon J.R. and Lawal A.A.

 

Full Length Research Paper  I Published June,2018

 

Journal of Agricultural Science and Food Technology  Vol. 4 (4), pp.64-70

 

ABSTRACT

 

Morphometric features were used to discriminate Sitophilus zeamais (L.) species in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria into morphoclusters. Data obtained were analyzed with parametric statistical tools of mean, standard deviation and standard error. The morphometric features means of the maize weevil morphoclusters were presented in centroids, and also the simultaneous confidence intervals (95%) of means were expressed. In addition, the distribution and relation between them were subjected to two-step and hierarchical cluster analysis while the within a percentage of state of cluster were drawn into dendrogram plot. The results of this study classified maize weevil samples in the FCT into two races. Morphocluster 2 had the highest (56.0%) while morphocluster 1 had the lowest (44.0%) number of Sitophilus zeamais. The distribution by locations of S. zeamais in Area Councils in FCT based on morphometric features revealed that all S. zeamais samples obtained from Gwagwalada and Kuje Area Councils were of a single morphocluster while samples from Kwali Area Council were distributed within the two established morphocluters.

Key Words: Maize weevil, maize, Area Council, morphoclusters.

 

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