title: Insecticidal activity of the aqueous extracts of four under-utilized tropical plants as protectant of cowpea seeds from Callosobruchus maculatus infestation.
abstract: The test plants species, namely Crotaria retusa, Hyptis suaveolens, Ricinus communis and Tithonia diversifolia were extracted with water. The extracts were evaluated on Callosobruchus maculatus for mortality, oviposition and adult emergence effects. The long-term protectant ability and viability were also investigated. The results showed that the aqueous extracts from T. diversifolia were most effective on C. maculatus, followed by extract from Ricinus communis. The least potent extracts were those extracted from Crotalaria retusa and Hyptis suaveolens. Also, the extracts considerably reduced oviposition by C. maculatus. Extracts from T. diversifolia and R. communis drastically reduced infestation and subsequence damage of the treated cowpea seeds for a period of three months. Most of the treated seeds germinated after 90 days storage period. The results from this study revealed that aqueous extracts from all the four plants species were effective in controlling cowpea bruchid, C. maculatus and could serve as an alternative to synthetic insecticides for protection of stored cowpea seeds against bruchids.
authors.affiliation: CDepartment of Plant Science, Ekiti State University, P.M.B. 5363, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Obembe
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kayode
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D002367:Ricinus communis / Q000737:chemistry*; D007313:Insecta; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010058:Oviposition / Q000187:drug effects; D018532:Pisum sativum; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012639:Seeds
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D010936:Plant Extracts