World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

ENTOMOTOXIC EFFECTS OF PLUMBAGO ZEYLANICA LINNAEUS ON SITOPHILUS ZEAMAIS MOTSCHULSKY (COLEOPTERA CURCULIONIDAE)

Otitoju Lawrence Kunle*

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the entomotoxic effects of different concentrations of the powder, oil extract and aqueous extract of Plumbago zeylanica against Sitophilus zeamais in stored grains Adult Sitophilus zeamais was introduced into the container with the treated maize seeds. Weevils were exposed to contact and fumigant toxicity test at 0.5g, 1.0g, 1.5g, 2.0g and 2.5g/50g of maize grains and mortality was assessed at exposure period of 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours post- treatment. Result obtained show that weevils exposed to ethanolic oil extract of Plumbago zeylanica showed higher mortality value of (37-100%) at 2.5g concentration and exposure period of 72 hours while that of root powder of P. zeylanica showed mortality value of (33.24-100%) at 2.5g concentration and exposure period of 96 hours. Both the powder of P.zeylanica and its ethanolic oil extracts significantly reduced adult emergence in treated grains. Furthermore, the powder and oil extract of P. zeylanica root bark tested on the liver and kidney of albino rat were found to be non-toxic, since there was no significant difference between the control and the animal treated with the powder and the ethanolic oil extracts. This study showed that the powder and ethanolic oil extract of P. zeylanica would provide alternative to synthetic insecticides in the management of Sitophilus zeamais infesting maize grains in Nigeria.

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