The Chinaberry tree Melia azedarach fruits as powder and as extracts in petroleum ether and acetone were evaluated for mortalities, reduction in F progeny and repellency effect against the cowpea beetle Callosobruchus nzaculatus adults at the following concentrations (8. 4, 2 and 1% for powder and 10, 5, 2.5 and 1.25% for the extracts).
Results revealed that petroleum ether extract of the fruits was more toxic to C. maculatus adults than the powder and acetone extract. Reduction in Fi progeny was much higher than mortalities at all tested concentrations.
Mortalities increased with increasing the concentration. After 7 days, percentage mortality was 70.7: 93.8, and 63.4% at the 'highest concentration for the powder, petroleum ether and acetone extracts, respectively. Complete reduction in F1 progeny (99..5-100%) was recorded at the highest two concentrations of the extracts, and it was with the powder between 49-67%. Results of average repellency recorded during the observation period of 21 days ranged from 9.5-28%: 7.3-22.3%, and 12-26% for the powder, extracts of petroleum ether and acetone, respectively. |
