TITLE:
Management of Ephestia cautella Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Shea (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn) Kernel Stocks Using Insecticidal Plant Extracts
AUTHORS:
Kambou Siébou François, Koussoube Jean Christophe, Kam Koï Wenceslas, Dingtoumda Oswald Gilbert, Wangrawa Wendgida Dimitri, Sanon Antoine, Ilboudo Zakaria
KEYWORDS:
Biological Control, Essential Oils, Azadirachta indica, Eucalyptus camaldulensis
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.15 No.12,
December
17,
2024
ABSTRACT: Many essential oils (EOs) and powders of aromatic plants with insecticidal properties are increasingly considered alternative insecticides to protect stored products against pests. One of these pests is Ephestia cautella Walker, which is a major pest in stored nuts. The larvae of this insect infesting shea kernels cause considerable damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of neem kernel powder and Eucalyptus camaldulensis essential oil in controlling E. cautella populations in shea kernel stocks. The study involved applying varying concentrations of neem kernel powder and E. camaldulensis EOs to E. cautella adults, larvae and eggs. A quantity of 2 g to 15 g of neem kernel powder caused high mortality rates (77.5% to 95%) of larvae by inhibiting their development. However, these same powder quantities proved ineffective in controlling adults. E. camaldulensis EOs caused 100% mortality in adults with a concentration of 15 µl/l for 24 hours. By direct contact, this oil caused 100% mortality of larvae at a concentration of 3 µl. It had no significant impact on embryonic development. The difference in toxicity observed between the different stages of the insect suggests a control strategy based on combining both bio-pesticides to optimize their effectiveness in protecting shea kernel stocks.