EFFECT OF ARMY WORM ON MAIZE PRICING IN MUKONO DISTRICT; A CASE OF NAKISUNGA SUB COUNTY

ABSTRACT

The study was about finding out the effect of armyworin on maize pricing. The study objectives were; to

access the effects of army worm on prices of maize in Nakisunga sub-county in Mukono District, to find

out other types or varieties of maize which are resistant to army worm, to investigate the best control

measures for army worm, to assess how market information can improve the quality of maize produced.

Primary data was collected from the respondents using questioners about the above objectives then later

on analyzed using different packages like spss into tabular fonn.

According to the findings, it was revealed that the sample constituted of 67 respondents of which 64.18%

were males and the 35.82% remaining were females. This implies that males are the majority. The study

revealed that the majority of the respondents fell in the age category 41-50 years had a frequency of

31(46.27%), Age category 31-40 had a frequency of 21(31.34%), followed by the category of 51 and

above with a frequency of 12(17.91%), while the last category was below 30 years with a frequency of

3(4.48%). This implies that majority of the respondents were between 4 1-50 years since most of them

have retired from their jobs. The study findings revealed that 35(52.24%) Of the respondents studied any

agricultural course and 32(47.76%) never studied any agricultural course but 67 respondents planted

maize. This implies that even without studying of any agricultural course respondents can carry out maize

production. The study revealed that 25 of the respondents with a percentage of 37.31% were small scale

farmers and the majority which is 42 with a percentage of 62.69% planted maize for commercial

purposes. Annyworm attacked 49(73.13%) and had an effect on maize pricing since most of the

respondents were commercial farmers according to the research findings. It was revealed that farmers

were prompted to use various measures to control it which affected their products hence limiting

international market and ending up flooding the local market leading to the decline of maize price.

Genetically modified maize was dominated mostly by commercial farmers and according to research

findings this kind of maize is identified to produce positive effect like not being attacked by armyworm if

planted and increasing in production since each plant can bear four to five corns. Then use of chemically

coated maize was dominated by few farmers since farmers concluded that its resistance is not to strong or

not all, the time. Fanners used pesticides as the best control measure of armyworm as revealed by the

research. This was used to do away with armyworm completely. There was also the use of insecticides to

mostly armyworm between 1-1/2 inches and intercropping was also recommended by farmers since it was

cheap to apply, gave high produce at the end of the day since the respondent planted different varieties of

crops at the same time but it was mostly used by small scale farmers and also could reduce arrnyworm

attacks from spreading.

Usc of genetically modified maize and chemically coated maize work best in controlling armyworm

attacks and at the end of the season more produces are yielded which also meet the required standards by

the market.

Market information should also be observed since it works as a guide on how production of

maize is done. Farmers should produce the varieties needed on the market but not what they

desire.