Abstract
Post-harvest losses of agricultural produce caused by store grain pest most especially cereals and grains to store pest require developing cheap, ecofriendly and readily available insecticide to combat this threat and achieve the goal of food security in developing countries. This study investigated the effects of Cleistopholis patens (leaf and stem bark) on Plodia interpunctella infestation in stored maize grains. Powders from the plant were administered at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 g dosages to maize grains containing developmental stages of P. interpunctella both as contact and fumigant insecticides. The insecticidal activities were monitored at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h post-treatment periods. As a contact insecticide, C. patens was significantly (PË‚0.05) more effective than as a fumigant against all developmental stages of the pest. The leaf powder was observed to be weakly effective both as contact and fumigant against P. interpunctella. At its peak, 69.17% larval mortality was achieved at 2.5 g dosage after 96 h exposure, but 1.5 g dosage of the stem bark achieved 0% egg hatchability and 100% larval and adult mortalities at the same length of exposure. Inferences from these results suggest that the plant has some bioactive constituents which if properly harnessed can be co-opted into integrated management of P. interpunctella infesting stored products. Key words: hatchability, contact, fumigant, bioactivity, Indian meal moth and post- treatment.
Highlights
Damages to stored grains and their products by insects had been estimated as 5-10% in the temperate countries and 20-30% in the tropical zones (Nakakita, 1998)
Grain storage around the world had been relying so heavily on the use of synthetic pesticides, which have played a major role in food storage and protection and have tremendously benefited humankind in the past
Grain storage across the globe had been relying so heavily on the use of synthetic pesticides against insect infestation, the use of which have triggered a number of ecologica, health-related and pest resistance problems (Verma and Derbey, 1999)
Summary
Damages to stored grains and their products by insects had been estimated as 5-10% in the temperate countries and 20-30% in the tropical zones (Nakakita, 1998). Grain storage around the world had been relying so heavily on the use of synthetic pesticides, which have played a major role in food storage and protection and have tremendously benefited humankind in the past. Aside these great contributions, their continued usage has triggered several ecological, resistance and healthrelated challenges (Verma and Dubey, 1999). It has been reported that over 2.5 million types of such pesticides are used in the agricultural crop protection annually across the globe and that over $100 billion was being spent annually to either combat or manage the side effects of these pesticides on man and environments (USEPA, 2011).
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