EFFICACY OF VARIOUS ESSENTIAL OILS AGAINST CHICKPEA PULSE BEETLE (Callosobruchus Chinensis L.) IN STORAGE CONDITION AT RAMPUR, CHITWAN

Abstract

The research was carried out in the entomology laboratory of Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan from March to June 2015. The experiment consisted of nine treatments and replicated thrice and laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The effects of nine treatments (Neem oil @ 3ml/kg, Clove oil@ 2ml/kg, Citronella oil @ 2.5ml/kg, Mentha oil@ 2ml/kg, Eucalyptus oil@3ml/kg, commercial Bojho oil@1ml/kg, French basil oil@2ml/kg, Malathion@ 1gm/kg, and Control) were evaluated against pulse beetle using ½ kg metal bins as the experimental unit. Among the treatments, the mortality of adult bruchids was significantly higher in chickpea seed treats with Citronell oil (27.67) followed by Malathion dust (27.33), Mentha oil (26.67) and Eucalyptus oil (24.33). Egg counts on 15 DAT, 45 DAT and 75 DAT were also recorded lowest in chickpea seed treated with Citronella oil (4.00, 5.00, 4.33) in all the dates of data recording followed by Mentha oil (4.33, 6.66, 6.00) and Eucalyptus oil (9.66, 13.00, 12.33), respectively. Interestingly, Malathion dust found effective for causing adult mortality (27.33) has reduced effect on next generation adult emergence 81.00 and 108.70 at 45 DAT and 75 DAT. Clove oil and Neem oil were also less effective with maximum egg counts and adult emergence. Thus, among all the oils used Citronella oil, Mentha oil and oils were found to be most promising in protecting grain damage by bruchids and maintaining optimum seed quality up to the 3 months of storage.