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CONTROL OF COWPEA WEEVILS CAVOSBRUCHUS MACULOTUSFEB A SYNERGIST APPROACH

ABSTRACT

A significant quantity of crops is lost as a result of application of non-selective crop protection agents. The agrochemical industry is faced with increasing demand for the development of new crop protection agents that are safe for the environment and consumers. This study aimed at examining the control of Cowpea Weevils Cavosbruchus Maculotusfeb a synergist approach. It also aimed at discovering crop protection agents that would preferentially get rid of pests. The need to develop pest control measures as alternative to chemicals is a priority for Scientists worldwide. Therefore, it is critical to find a cost effective and non-toxic method to prevent pest attack on field or stored crops. In this study, Cymbopogon citratus (lemon grass), Citrus sinensis (orange peel) and Azadirachta indica (neem) were used to investigate and evaluate the potency of the fixed and essential oils of these plants as pest control agent for the main storage insect pest of cowpea- Callosobruchus maculatus. All extracts were toxic to adult C. maculatus and prevented egg hatching. However, Citrus sinensis showed the highest weevil mortality on the first day of exposure, followed by Azadirachta indica and the least toxic was Cymbopogon citratus in the fixed oil category of extracts while in the essential oil category, Cymbopogon citratus showed 100% adult weevil mortality within one hour of exposure and Citrus sinensis was able to achieve 100% weevil mortality at the third hour of exposure. The Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of the essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus and Citrus sinensis was used to identify possible components of the oils comparing with existing data. This led to the development of technique adoptable for small holder farmers and cowpea traders.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) is a pulse crop that can be grown successfully in extreme environments such as high temperatures, low rainfall and poor soils with a few inputs(Abdullahi, Y.M. and S. Muhammad, 2004). Subsistence farmers in the semi-arid and sub-humid regions of Africa are the major producers and consumers of cowpea (Bell, A.E., L.E. Fellows and S.J. Simmonds, 1990; Berger, 1994). It is an important edible legume crop in many parts of the world especially in tropical and subtropical regions. It is used as human food due to its high protein content and also as livestock feed to make silage and hay (Diouf, 2011). Cowpea is the third most important crop in Botswana after maize, Zea mays L., and grain sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (both Poaceae) (Machacha, etal., 2012). Production of cowpea in Botswana is about 300–355 kg/ha. It is an annual herbaceous legume with trifoliate leaves. It is a drought tolerant and short warm weather crop well adapted to the drier regions where other food legumes do not perform well (Singh, 1987). It requires annual rainfall of about 750–1100 mm [4].Cowpea grain is important to the incomes of resource poor farmers as well as to the nutritional status and diets of people in West and East Africa, Latin America and the Carribean basin (Berger, 1994). The seed is high in protein contents and can be consumed directly, make flour, sprouts, weaning foods for young children and thus ameliorating malnourishment, wasting and stunting (Bell, A.E., L.E. Fellows and S.J. Simmonds, 1990. It also provides a useful complement in diets comprised mainly of roots, tubers or cereals. However, post harvest losses of cowpea grain are a serious problem, and in Africa, as much as 20-50% of grain is lost because of infestations from the pest (Conacher, J., 1980). Infestation results into weight loss and quality deterioration. Heat, moisture and waste products produced by the weevil also result into further deterioration and the growth of moulds (DNCP., 2005). This renders cowpea grain unfit for consumption and selling. Thus, farmers are forced to sell their products early after harvest when prices are still low partly because of anticipated losses in storage.

In the past, infestation was often a less serious problem because farmers cultivated traditional varieties which though low yielding, were generally more resistant to attack by pests. However, the introduction of high yielding pulse varieties has resulted in increased storage losses since they are usually more susceptible to pest damage (DNCP., 2005).

However, the production of Cowpea is affected by insect pests and disease infestations which lead to economic losses. Insect damage is the major constraint to cowpea grain production in most cowpea producing nations (Singh; van Emden,1979). The major insect pests that can cause economic loss are cowpea aphids (Aphis craccivora), leafhoppers (Empoasca spp), thrips (Megalurothrips sjostedti—Synonym: Taeniothrips sjostedti), flower eating beetles (Mylabris spp. and Coryna spp.), blister beetles (Hycleu slugens), green stink bugs (Nezara viridula) and cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus). The cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), is a cosmopolitan field-to-store pest ranked as the principal post-harvest pest of cowpea in the tropics. It causes substantial quantitative and qualitative losses manifested by seed perforation and reductions in weight, market value and germination ability of seeds (Oluwafemi, A.R (2012). The pesticidal properties of many plants have been known for a long time and natural pesticides based on plant extracts such as rotenone, nicotine and pyrethrum have been commonly used in pest control during the earlier half of this century (Delobel, A. and P. Malonga, 1987).

In order to reduce serious losses experienced during storage, various techniques and control methods have been developed and more are still being developed. Management of cowpea seed storage pests relies heavily on the use of chemical insecticides. However, most of the small scale farmers have not adopted these new techniques due to some financial and technical reasons. Insecticides also havenegative impact on the environment, humans and non-target organisms.

Therefore, there is a need to develop cheap, safe and easy methods of protecting stored cowpeas against cowpea weevil. Resource-poor farmers in Africa employ a range of traditional methods such as use of scent leaf, ash, sand and lemon grees pepper to control it. Naturally occurring plant products have been used to protect agricultural products against pests for many years in some parts of the world; many authors have reported insecticidal\ effects of plant products against a broad range of pests. Some of the techniques that can be explored include the use of plant products such as garlic, peppermint and chilies. Aromatic plants have both medicinal and aromatic properties and contain a variety of volatile oils which have insecticidal, anti-feedant and repellent effects on insect pests. The chemical repellency hypothesis states that non-host plant odors repel herbivores by disrupting their ability to locate or feed on the host plant (Beizhou, etal., 2012). The plant products used for this study produce odors that are believed to repel weevils, thereby preventing them from attacking cowpea seeds. There is limited information on the use of the plant products as an alternative control method for controlling weevils in storage. The use of plant products may offer a sustainable, environmentally friendly and safer alternative to synthetic insecticides. This experiment was aimed at determining the effects of several plant products on cowpea weevil reproduction. This study will also create awareness of the value of plant products as a control method for cowpea weevils in smallholder farmers’

storage facilities.

However, after the world war II, they lost their importance with the introduction of synthetic organic chemicals, which were concentrated products with a high knock down effect on pest organisms. The use of these organochlorines and organophosphorus compounds however, has led to the hazardous effects on environment and human beings (Duke, J.A., 1985). In addition, synthetic pesticides are not easily available among poor resource farmers, and when available, are too expensive (Dunkel, etal., 2005; Elwell, H. and A. Maas, 1995) . As such, farmers have reverted to the usage of natural products that include plant extracts, powders, ashes, minerals, cow dung, oils, and sand in the control of pests with varying levels of effectiveness (Fery, R.L., 2002; GTZ., 1998). Botanicals have been found to have broad spectrum insecticidal properties with reduced persistence and toxicity in relation to organochlorines and organophosphorus compounds. They are easily available, can be produced within farmers’ vicinity providing a more sustainable approach to pest contro (Duke, J.A., 1985; Golob, P., 1984). For instance, cowpea seeds treated with bark and fruit powders from Mazedarch, black pepper (Piper nigrum) fruits, leaves of Eucalyptus, Croton gratissilum, Spirostychus africana, Ochna pulera, clove flowers and Solanum nigrum were better protected than untreated seeds (Duke, J.A., 1985). Thus, more investigations are necessary to explore natural protectants available in the local areas for a more sustainable approach in controlling storage pests.

The present investigation was aimed at assessing and identifying alternative and effective botanicals available within the farmers’ environment that can be recommended as alternative low cost technique of minimizing post-harvest losses of cowpea grain from the cowpea weevil.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In Nigeria alone, losses caused by this insect pest in storage is estimated at 3.6 billion naira each year (Buckmire, 1978; Pierrard, 1986). Also, in Nigeria and many developing third world countries, there is a decline in the use of chemical

insecticides due to the withdrawal of subsidies on these pesticidesbythe government (Lale, 1995;Lale andYusuf, 2001).Work on the toxic effect of oils of

Dennettia tripetala, Azadirachta indica, rice bran and palm kernel oil on Callosobruchus maculatus has been carried out by several researchers such as

with a view to providing readily available natural materials that control the degree of infestation (Shaaya et al., 1997) . This research is designed to examine the control of cowpea weevils cavosbruchus maculotusfeb a synergist approach

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

1. To examine efficacy of lemon grass and scent leave plant extracts as storage control against the occurrence of Callosobruchus Maculatus.

2. To account for the qualitative loss in cowpea during storage with a view to highlighting the deleterious effects of weevil infestation on stored cowpeas.

3. To examine the nutrient composition of cowpeas infested with Callosobruchus Maculatus L.

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