Abstract
An experiment to manage rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae L. Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L. Gramineae) was carried out at Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Paklihawa Campus, Rupandehi, Nepal. The experiment was conducted under completely randomized design (CRD) with seven treatments viz. neem leaf dust (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) 15 g/kg, tobacco leaf dust (Nicotiana tabacum L.) 10 g/kg, ginger rhizome powder (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) 20 g/kg, garlic cloves powder (Allium sativum L.) 20 g/kg, Sichuan pepper seed powder (Zanthoxylum armatum Roxb.) 10 g/kg, sweet flag rhizome dust (Acorus calamus L.) 5 g/kg, and control with three replication. Result revealed that the highest mortality of weevils was observed in the wheat seed treated with A. calamus (98.33%), followed by N. tabacum (85.67%), A. sativum (73.34%), A. indica (70.67%), Z. armatum (70.34%), and Z. officinale (58.34%). Similarly, the lowest percent weight loss (3.32%) and damage of seed (4.0%) were observed in wheat treated with A. calamus. Moreover, the highest germination (89%) was observed in seeds treated with A. calamus rhizome powder when tested at 90 days after treatment application. Based on weevil mortality and the germination test, it is found that sweet flag rhizome powder is the best treatment against rice weevil followed by tobacco leaf dust and garlic clove powder. Therefore, these botanicals could be one of the effective alternatives for the management of weevil especially to the farmers who do not use chemical insecticides in the rural areas of Nepal.
Highlights
In Nepal, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the third ranking cereal crop after rice (Oryza sativa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) in terms of area of production and productivity
Among the six different botanicals tested for the mortality test of rice weevil, rhizome powder (5 g/kg) was found to cause the highest mortality (98.33%) at 14 days after treatment (DAT) which was followed by tobacco leaf powder (10 g/kg) (85.67%), neem leaf powder (15 g/kg) (70.67%), garlic clove powder (20 g/kg) (73.34%), Sichuan pepper seed powder (20 g/kg) (70.34%), and the ginger powder (58.34%)
Similar results were obtained in another experiment where 100% mortality of S. oryzae L. was obtained when weevil was treated with A. calamus at 3 g/kg of wheat grain [18]
Summary
Evaluation of Botanical Powders for the Management of Rice Weevil Juss) 15 g/kg, tobacco leaf dust (Nicotiana tabacum L.) 10 g/kg, ginger rhizome powder (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) 20 g/kg, garlic cloves powder (Allium sativum L.) 20 g/kg, Sichuan pepper seed powder (Zanthoxylum armatum Roxb.) 10 g/kg, sweet flag rhizome dust (Acorus calamus L.) 5 g/kg, and control with three replication. Result revealed that the highest mortality of weevils was observed in the wheat seed treated with A. calamus (98.33%), followed by N. tabacum (85.67%), A. sativum (73.34%), A. indica (70.67%), Z. armatum (70.34%), and Z. officinale (58.34%). The highest germination (89%) was observed in seeds treated with A. calamus rhizome powder when tested at 90 days after treatment application. Based on weevil mortality and the germination test, it is found that sweet flag rhizome powder is the best treatment against rice weevil followed by tobacco leaf dust and garlic clove powder. Based on weevil mortality and the germination test, it is found that sweet flag rhizome powder is the best treatment against rice weevil followed by tobacco leaf dust and garlic clove powder. erefore, these botanicals could be one of the effective alternatives for the management of weevil especially to the farmers who do not use chemical insecticides in the rural areas of Nepal
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