Insecticidal efficacy of wild medicinal plants, dhatura alba and calotropis procera, against trogoderma granarium (everts) in wheat store grains

Abstract

Trogoderma granarium (Everts) is one of the world’s most destructive pests of cereals, oilseed, malting, and other foodstuffs. Current studies were aimed to investigate the effect of essential oils of two different medicinal plants (Dhatura alba and Calotropis procera) against two different strains of T. granarium. Plant extracts were obtained by Rotary Shaker apparatus by using acetone as solvent. Four different concentrations 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% were prepared by diluting in acetone. The data regarding mortality, growth regulation and repellency of T. granarium was observed. Repellency of plant extracts was tested using area preference method while for the growth regulatory potential of plant extracts, the adults insects were released in wheat grains treated with different concentrations of plant extracts. All the experiments were carried out in an incubator at 30±2C and 65±5% R.H using Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The results for repellency remained more significant for C. procera extract as compared to D. alba. While for growth the C. procera showed more significant differences. In case of mortality both D. alba and C. procera were found equally effective against T. granarium.