Diagnóstico del nivel de conocimiento de los productores de maíz (Zea mays l.) sobre alternativas orgánicas para el control de gusano cogollero (Spodoptera frugiperda).

Abstract

Corn represents a historical wealth and identity of the rural region. In the province of Los Ríos, the Ventanas canton is home to the largest amount of land planted with corn in the province, accounting for 42 % of the total provincial area. It should be mentioned that one of the most relevant pests in the corn crop is the budworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), which not only damages the bud, but also the crop lot. However, there are a number of chemical pesticides used by the farmer to control this type of pest, but there is a certain level of ignorance of organic alternatives, with this scenario in this study is intended to determine the knowledge of corn producers of the Association of Corn Growers Nueva Semilla of Ventanas canton, on organic alternatives for the control of the budworm. For which, this study will be developed in the Ventana’s area, considering the producers that belong to the Nueva Semilla Corn Growers Association. Using a quantitative methodology, with an analytical-synthetic approach, complemented with a descriptive and bibliographic research, the population will be considered as corn producers belonging to the Nueva Semilla Corn Growers Association of the Ventanas canton in the province of Los Ríos. Among the expected results of this process, prominent aspects stand out where a beneficial approach is detected for the use of organic alternatives for the control of the budworm in the area object of this study.