AUTHOR(S)
Disna Ratnasekera* and Rohan Rajapakse

ABSTRACT

Pulse beetles Callosobruchuschinensis and Callosobruchus maculatus are the most serious pests instored legumes in majority of tropical countries. Attention has been given tothe possible use of plant products or plant derived compounds as promisingalternatives to synthetic insecticides in controlling insect pests of stored products.Various indigenous plant species in different forms such as crude ethanol (CE)extracts, vegetable oils, dry powders and combinations of plant materials withinsecticides and effect of their concentration were tested against Callosobruchusspp. in laboratory conditions. The highest bioactivity (90 – 100% mortality)was manifested by the crude ethanol extracts of Azadirachta indica (Neem),Anona reticulata (Anona) and Ocimum sanctum (Maduruthala/sacredbail) among the crude ethanol extracts tested. Oils of O.sanctum at1.5 μL and A.reticulata at 3.0 μL completely inhibited oviposition andadult emergence. Clove powder was the most effective among the four powderstested for adult mortality followed by root dust of papaya. Among the plant powderstested, Maduruthala (O. sanctum) was the most effective for suppressingoviposition significantly followed by Getathumba (Leucas zeylanica). Ourexperiments also revealed enhanced toxicity and persistence of the insecticidein causing significant mortality to Callosobruchus spp. when combinedwith vegetable oils. Further, these results revealed that the potentialapplicability of some indigenous plant materials as stored grain protectants.The modes of action of these substances are not yet known and further studiesmust be carried out especially to clarify how it is involved in the physiologyof reproduction.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.57182/jbiopestic.5.0.88-94

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