Identifying Insect Pests of Glutinous Corn Plants (Zea mays ceratina Kulesh) with Various Organic Fertilizer Treatments

Glutinous corn (Zea mays ceratina Kulesh) is a variety of corn that holds significant economic value. However, the productivity of this plant is frequently compromised by insect pest infestations. This study aims to investigate the effects of organic fertilizer on the insect pest population and identify the types of insect pests affecting glutinous corn plants. The objectives of this research are to assess the abundance of insect pests in glutinous corn plants under three treatments: (1) no organic fertilizer, (2) liquid organic fertilizer, (3) solid organic fertilizer, and (4) a combination of liquid and solid organic fertilizers. The research methods include field observations, insect sampling, and laboratory analyses for pest identification based on morphological characteristics. This study employed a non-factorial Randomized Block Design (RBD) with four treatments and six replications, resulting in 24 experimental plots. The results indicated that insect pests were highest in the treatment that did not utilize organic fertilizer. The types of insect pests found on glutinous corn plants belong to the orders Orthoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Lepidoptera and were observed from the vegetative to the generative periods. Applying solid organic fertilizer from chicken manure proved the most effective treatment for enhancing corn production, yielding a production weight of 1.36 kg per plot, equivalent to 9.07 tons per hectare.