Investigations were conducted to test the potential of three spices namely Allium sativum L., Capsicum frutescens L., and Zingiber officinale Rosc. as biopesticides against S. zeamais reared on maize grains. Doses of 1.25, 2.50 and 5.00 g powders of each of A. sativum, C. frutescens and Z. officinale and 0.30 g of Permethrin were applied to 50 g of maize grains infested with S. zeamais in small plastic bottles maintained under constant conditions of 300C and 70% R.H. The effect of the spices on adult mortality was significant (p<0.05) between the spicy powders and the control. Significantly (p<0.05) higher (10.00%) percentage grain damage was recorded with 1.25 g of A. sativum and the least (0.00%) in treatments containing 5.00 of C. frutescens. The findings of this study indicated that the selected spices showed their potential positive protectant ability of maize grain against S. zeamais. The spicy powders could be used as alternative biopesticides against S. zeamais attacking maize grains in the storage.
Key words: Control, Grain damage, Maize grain, Mortality, Sitophilus zeamais, Spicy powders
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