Potential of Cleisthopholis patens Elliot as a maize protectant against the stored product moth, Plodia Interpunctella (Hubner) (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae)

Abstract

The root bark powder, stem bark powder and leaves powder of Cleisthopholis patens were tested for their insecticidal activity as a stored product protectant at four different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 g) on the moth, Plodia interpunctella, at ambient tropical storage conditions of temperature and relative humidity. Moth mortality, egg hatchability, adult emergence were used as indices of insecticidal activity. The result obtained shows that the root bark powder was effective at 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 g/20 g of the maize evoking 100% adult moth mortality within 72 h of application. The stem bark powder of C. patens at 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 g/20 g of the maize produced 78 – 100% moth mortality within 72 h of treatment. But the stem bark powder caused 100% adult moth mortality of P. interpunctella at 3.0 g/20 g maize in 96 h post-treatment. The leaf powder was moderately effective against the adult moth at 3.0 g/20 g of the maize grain in evoking 70 – 80% adult mortality within 96 h of treatment. The root and stem bark powder inhibited development of egg to adult at all the concentrations evaluated and therefore prevented adult emergence. However, 2 – 11% adult emergence of P. interpunctella was obtained in the maize grain treated with the leaf powder.