APPLICATION OF DRY CELL BATTERY DUST TO CULTIVATED FLUTED PUMPKIN (Telfairia occidentalis) AS A PEST MANAGEMENT STRATEGY: IMPLICATIONS FOR BOTH THE PLANT AND THE WOULD-BE HERBIVORE

ABSTRACT

The study investigated the possible impact of dry cell battery dust (DCBD) on production of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis). The experiment included three different treatments: the first examined the effect of DCBD on the plants after they were sown in DCBD-polluted soils (PSBP); while the second was the investigation of plants on which DCBD was applied to the plants after 2 weeks of sowing (PPAP). The third group was the control, wherein DCBD was applied to neither plant nor soil. Results showed that plant yield, expressed in the study as the number of leaves per plant and leaf size, was better with those plants on which DCBD was applied after plant establishment (32 – 48 leaves, leaf area 98.5 – 126.5 cm²) compared to the control (13 leaves, leaf area 43.1 cm²). Leaves in the control as well as the PSBP plants were characterized with brown spots, chlorosis, necrotic spots as well as evidence of insect pest attack. No visible sign of insect or pest attack was noticeable in the leaves of the PPAP-group. Although there was no significant change in proximate content of the leaves of both DCBD-treated plant and the control, the leaves of DCBD-impacted plants however accumulated significantly higher amounts of lead (40.25 – 77.17 mg/kg) and zinc (13.35 – 45.87 mg/kg) than the control.