Indian Journal of Entomology, 81(1): 144-147 (2019) DoI No.: 10.5958/0974-8172.2019.00014.

EFFICACY OF BOTANICALS AGAINST PULSE BEETLE

CALLOSOBRUCHUS MACULATUS (F.) IN GREEN GRAM
Manju, K., J. Jayaraj* and M. Shanthi

*Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai 625104
*Email: vu2jrj@rediffmail.com (corresponding author)

ABSTRACT

In the present study, twelve botanicals viz., Ipomea sp., Ocimum sanctum (L.), Pongamia pinnata (L.), Vitex
negundo (L.), Adhatoda sp. (L.), Zingiber officinale (L.), Allium sativum (L.), Curcuma longa (L.), Acorus
calamus (L.), Capsicum annum (L.), Piper nigrum (L.) and neem seed kernel powder were evaluated against
the adults of pulse beetle Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) in green gram seed storage. Mortality, oviposition
deterrent activity, adult emergence and seed germination were observed. All the treatments were found
significantly effective, of which mixing of 1% seed powder of P. nigrum resulted in 100% mortality within
12 hr. Progeny development and adult emergence of 28.4 and 30.0% was obtained with 1% pod powder
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of C. annum and 1% seed powder of P. nigrum, respectively. It was also observed that 1% each of rhizome
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powder of A. calamus, seed powder of P. nigrum and pod powder of C. annum retained maximum seed
viability of 97.3, 92.0 and 90.6%, respectively.
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Key words: Greengram, Callosobruchus maculatus, Piper nigrum, Capsicum annum, Acorus calamus, mortality,
progeny development, adult emergence, seed viability

Green gram Vigna radiata (L.), an important legume
crop suffers losses both qualitatively and quantitatively
due to the attack by bruchids in the post harvest stages
(Raghu et al., 2016). Rahman and Talukder (2006)
reported 8.5% losses in green gram during post
harvest handling and storage in India. The bruchid
Callosobruchus maculatus is the most destructive and
sometimes cause damage up to 100% during storage
(Gbaye and Holloway, 2011). The damage results in
holes in the grains, loss of grain weight, and reduces
seed germination. Though it occurs in the field,
infestation is more in the storage conditions (Bhalla et
al., 2008). As pesticides are required to be avoided in
the storage conditions, botanicals provide an alternative.
The present study investigates the antagonistic effect of
certain botanicals on the biology of C. maculatus such as
mortality, oviposition deterrent effect, adult emergence
and seed viability of green gram.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
with muslin cloth and secured with a rubber band and
maintained at 30± 5°C and 70± 5% RH. Oviposition
by the adults were allowed for five days, and after 25
to 30 days, emerging adults were collected for further
maintenance of subcultures as above. The botanicals
viz., 2% each of leaf powder of Ipomea sp., Oscimum
sanctum, Pongamia pinnata, Vitex negundo, Adhatoda
sp., 1% each of rhizome powder of Zingiber officinale,
Curcuma longa, and Acorus calamus, bulb powder of
Allium sativum, pod powder of Capsicum annum, seed
powder of Piper nigrum and neem seed kernel powder
were included. For comparison an untreated control
was maintained. These evaluations were done with
20 g of green gram in plastic containers, with the plant
powders added and shaken thoroughly. Twelve pairs of
newly emerged adults were released into each container,
covered with muslin cloth and kept in the laboratory,
replicated thrice with the % mortality observed at 12,
24 and 48 hr after release (Govindan and Nelson, 2007).

The present study was conducted in the Insectary,
Department of Agricultural Entomology, Agricultural
College and Research Institute, Madurai during 2017-
2018. Mass culturing of C. maculatus was done on
green gram (variety CO 5) in plastic containers of 600
ml capacity, each with 200 g of seeds on to ten pairs
of matured adults were released. These were covered
For evaluating oviposition deterrent activity, green
gram seeds were cleaned and sterilized of eggs and larvae
at 45°C for 6 hr. 250 seeds were taken in a conical flask
and mixed with each botanical. After mixing, the seeds
were separated into five lots of 50 seeds each, stored in
plastic containers (8 x 6.5 cm) with five pairs of newly
emerged C. maculatus introduced in each container,
 Efficacy of botanicals against pulse beetle in green gram 145
Manju K et al.

and replicated thrice along with an untreated control.
After six days, the number of eggs laid in treated (Ts)
and control (Cs) seeds were counted and % oviposition
deterrence (POD) computed with the formula - (POD)
= [(Ts-Cs)/Cs] x 100 (Bangareppanavar, 2011)
Adult emergence was compared from the above
experimental setup kept undisturbed till the emergence
of F1 adults in both control (Ac) and treated seeds
(At) using the formula- % reduction in adult (PRA)
emergence: PRA= [(Ac-At)/Ac] x 100 (Kaur, 2014).
Seed germination (%) was also evaluated in the
treated seeds after 30, 60 and 90 days of storage,
done in quadruplicate using 100 seeds each with four
replications of 25 seeds each in paper medium at 25±
10C and RH 96±2% with diffused light (approx. 10 hr)
during the day. Final count on normal seedling was
recorded on seventh day and expressed in %.
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The results revealed that maximum mortality of C.
maculatus was observed after 12h, 24h and 48h. Green
gram treated with 1% seed powder of pepper showed
maximum mortality followed by 1% rhizome powder
A. calamus and 1% neem seed kernel powder (Table 1).
These findings corroborate with those of Aslam et al.
(2002) on pepper. Treatment with 2% leaf powder of V.
negundo gave mortality of 36.1% on par with 2% leaf
powder of Ipomea sp. (33.3%), 1% rhizome powder of
Z. officinale (31.9%) and 2% leaf powder of Adhatoda
sp (23.6%). Earlier studies revealed beetle mortality
in pulses treated with black pepper and chilli products
(Onu and Aliyu, 1995).
The maximum oviposition deterrent activity
(ODA) (86.0%) was observed with 1% pod powder

Table 1. Effect of botanicals on the adult mortality of C. maculatus in green gram

No. Treatment % mortality Mean

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12 HAR 24 HAR 48 HAR mortality

T1 Ipomea sp. 2% LP 37.5 33.3 29.1 33.3
(37.7)e (35.2)f (32.6)e (35.1)d
T2 Oscimum sanctum 2% LP 20.8 16.6 4.1 13.8
(27.1)h (24.0)g (11.6)h (20.9)e
T3 Pongamia pinnata 2% LP 16.6 12.5 8.3 12.5
(24.0)i (20.7)h (16.7)g (20.4)e
T4 Vitex negundo 2% LP 41.6 37.5 29.1 36.1
(40.1)d (37.7)e (32.6)e (36.8)d
T5 Adhatoda sp 2% LP 25.0 25.0 20.8 23.6
(30.0)g (30.0)d (27.1)h (29.0)d
T6 Zingiber officinale 1% RP 33.3 33.3 29.1 31.9
(35.2)f (35.2)f (32.6)e (34.3)d
T7 Allium sativum 1% BP 8.3 8.3 4.1 6.9
(16.7)i (16.7)i (11.6)h (15)e
T8 Curcuma longa 1% RP 16.6 8.3 4.1 9.7
(24.0)i (16.7)i (11.6)b (17.4)e
T9 Acorus calamus 1% RP 87.5 87.5 83.3 86.1
(69.2)b (69.2)b (65.8)b (68.0)b
T10 Capsicum annum 1% PP 62.5 54.1 41.6 52.7
(52.2)c (47.3)d (40.1)d (46.5)c
T11 Piper nigrum 1% SP 100 100 91.6 97.2
(89.5)a (89.5)a (73.1)a (84.0)a
T12 Neem seed kernel powder 1% 62.5 58.3 54.1 58.3
(52.2)c (49.7)c (47.3)c (49.7)c
T13 Untreated control 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.1
(3.6)j (0.4)j (0.4)i (1.4)f
SEd 0.5 0.8 0.6 3.8
CD (p=0.05) 1.1 1.8 1.2 7.9
HAR – Hours after release, LP- Leaf powder, BP – Bulb powder, RP - Rhizome powder, SP - Seed powder,
PP – Pod powder. In a column means followed by common superscript(s) not significant in DMRT (p=0.05);
figures in parentheses arcsine transformed values
 146 Indian Journal of Entomology, 81(1), 2019

of C. annum, followed by others giving 55.7- 65.9%
(Table 2). Thus, ODA decreased from 30 to 60 days
after treatment. These observations are in agreement
with those of Chander and Ahmed (1986) who found
significant less number of eggs (15.3 egg/ 100 seed) in
1% rhizome powder of A. calamus treatment followed
by 1% leaf powder of V. negundo (20 eggs/ 100 seed).
The reduction in fecundity had been attributed to the
toxicity of plant powders viz., black pepper powder,
garlic powder, O. sanctum and turmeric powder (Singh,
2011). Reduced oviposition with no adult emergence
with O. sanctum had been known earlier (Ratnasekera
and Rajapakse, 2010).
effect of O. sanctum inhibited adult emergence of C.
maculatus (Ratnasekera and Rajapakse, 2010). The seed
germination in green gram seeds evaluated at 30, 60
and 90 days after treatment (DAT) revealed maximum
values at 30 DAT; rhizome powder of A. calamus 1%
was observed with 100% germination (Table 3). These
observations agree with those of Govindan and Nelson
(2007) and Chiranjeevi (1991) as regards A. calamus.
The present study concludes that 1% each of rhizome
powder A. calamus, seed powder of P. nigrum and pod
powder of C. annum are effective against C. maculatus
in the storage of green gram.

Reduction in adult emergence was observed with ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

1% pod powder of C. annum which was on par with
the 1% seed powder of P. nigrum (Table 2), followed
by others. These findings corroborate with those of
Chudasama et al. (2015) on C. maculatus with 5% black
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The authors thank the Tamil Nadu State Council for
Science and Technology (TNSCST), DOTE Campus,
Chennai for the financial support as an award (Students

pepper seed extract and neem seed kernel extract. The Project Scheme Scholarship).
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Table 2. Oviposition deterrence and effect on adult emergence in C. maculatus with plant powders
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No. Treatment % oviposition deterrence at Mean F1 Adult

30 DAT* 40 DAT 60DAT emergence (%)
T1 Ipomea sp. 2% LP 89 54.6 52.4 65.3 65.0
(70.6)a (47.6)e (46.3)e (54.8)b (53.6)ef
T2 Oscimum sanctum 2% LP 45.5 43 36.3 41.6 63.2
(42.4)g (40.9)g (37.0)ij (40.1)cd (52.6)ef
T3 Pongamia pinnata 2% LP 38.0 36.4 35.1 36.5 59.2
(38.0)h (37.1)h (36.3)j (37.1)d (50.2)cd
T4 Vitex negundo 2% LP 59.3 59.3 58.2 58.9 45.8
(50.3)e (50.3)d (49.7)d (50.1)bc (42.8)b
T5 Adhatoda sp 2% LP 52.2 50.0 48.7 50.3 70.5
(46.2)f (45.0)f (44.2)f (45.1)bcd (57.0)g
T6 Zingiber officinale 1% RP 66.6 65.8 65.4 65.9 62.5
(54.6)d (54.2)bc (53.9)b (54.2)b (52.2)d
T7 Allium sativum 1% BP 74.3 47.7 45.1 55.7 58.7
(59.5)b (43.6)f (42.1)g (48.4)b (50.0)c
T8 Curcuma longa 1% RP 44.7 42 41.5 42.7 65.9
(41.9)g (40.3)g (40.1)h (40.7)cd (54.2)f
T9 Acorus calamus 1% RP 66.2 64.4 61.6 64.1 45.2
(54.4)d (53.3)c (51.7)c (53.1)b (42.2)b
T10 Capsicum annum 1% PP 86.7 86.1 85.3 86.0 28.4
(68.6)a (68.1)a (67.4)a (68.0)a (32.2)a
T11 Piper nigrum 1% SP 71.6 68.4 39 59.7 30.0
(57.7)c (55.7)b (38.6)gh (50.6)bc (33.1)a
T12 Neem seed kernel powder 1% 76.8 39.0 37.6 51.1 73.6
(61.2)b (38.6)h (37.8)ij (45.8)bcd (58.8)g
89.5
(71.1)h
SEd 0.9 0.7 0.8 5.6 4.3
CD (p=0.05) 2.05 1.5 1.7 11.7 8.8
* DAT = Days after treatment, LP- Leaf powder, BP – Bulb powder, RP - Rhizome powder, SP - Seed powder, PP – Pod powder; Figures
in parentheses arcsine transformed values; In a column means followed by the common super script(s) not significant in DMRT (p=0.05)
 Efficacy of botanicals against pulse beetle in green gram 147
Manju K et al.

Table 3. Effect of plant powders on greengram seed germination

No. Treatment % seed germination at
30DAT* 60DAT 90DAT Mean
T1 Ipomea sp. 2% LP 48.0 44.0 40.0 44.0
(43.8)f (41.5)e (39.2)d (41.5)d
T2 Oscimum sanctum 2% LP 12 8 8 9.3
(20.2)h (16.4)h (16.4)g (17.6)e
T3 Pongamia pinnata 2% LP 68 60 44 57.3
(55.5)d (50.7)d (41.5)d (49.2)c
T4 Vitex negundo 2% LP 68 64 60 64
(55.5)d (53.1)d (50.7)c (53.1)c
T5 Adhatoda sp 2% LP 8.0 0.0 0.0 2.6
(16.4)i (0.40)i (0.40)h (5.7)f
T6 Zingiber officinale 1% RP 56.0 48.0 32.0 45.3
(48.4)e (43.8)e (34.4)f (42.2)d
T7 Allium sativum 1% BP 56.0 40.0 36.0 44.0
(48.4)e (39.2)f (36.8)e (41.4)d
T8 Curcuma longa 1% RP 92.0 88.0 76.0 85.3
(73.5)c (60.6)c (69.7)b (67.9)b
T9 Acorus calamus 1% RP 100 96.0 96.0 97.3
(89.5)a (78.4)a (78.4)a (72.2)a
T10 Capsicum annum 1% PP 96.0 92.0 88.0 92.0
(78.4)b (73.5)b (69.7)b (73.8)a
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T11 Piper nigrum 1% SP 92.0 92.0 88.0 90.6

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(73.5)c (73.5)b (69.7)b (72.2)a

T12 Neem seed kernel powder 16.0 12.0 8.0 12.0
1% (23.5)g (20.2)g (16.4)g (20)e
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T13 Untreated control 0 0 0 0

(0.40)j (0.40) (0.40)h (0.4)f
SEd 1.2 1.0 3.0
CD(p=0.05) 2.5 2.2 6.3
DAT – Days after Treatment, LP- Leaf powder, BP – Bulb powder, RP - Rhizome powder, SP - Seed
powder, PP – Pod powder; In a column means followed by the common super script(s) not significant in
DMRT (p=0.05); Figures in parentheses arcsine transformed values

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(Manuscript Received: August, 2018; Revised: November, 2018;

Accepted: November, 2018; Online Published: December, 2018)