Management of bruchid beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) in stored cowpea through plant extracts and carbaryl

Abstract

Cowpea bruchid, Callosobruchus maculatus is a major pest of stored cowpea in Eritrea. A comparative study on the effectiveness of plant extracts (5 percent of neem and lantana leaf), wood ash and 2 per cent carbaryl as grain protectants against C. maculatus conducted at Hamelmalo Agricultural College, Eritrea in three replications revealed that the plant extracts significantly reduced the population of C. maculatus at different days of intervals. At 14 DAT, the mortality by carbaryl was high (8.21%) against wood ash and control with low mortality at 7.67 and 7.34 per cent, respectively. The mean weight loss in control with wood ash, lantana leaf extract, neem leaf extract and carbaryl treatments was 44.9, 41.8, 38.4, 34.2 and 19.5 per cent, respectively. The treated seeds recorded higher germination percentage while the control recorded least (40%). Among the botanical protectants, neem extract was found most effective against the storage pests.