Bio-activities of Powders of four plants against truncatus Horn. (Coleoptera: ) and Tribolium Castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

T. Buxton1, V. Y. Eziah2 and E. O. Owusu3 1African Regional Postgraduate Program in Science (ARPPIS), University of Ghana, Legon, P. O. LG 59, Legon-Accra, Ghana E-mail: [email protected] 2 Department of Crop Science, College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana E-mail: [email protected] 3 Department Of Biology And Conservation Sciences, University Of Ghana, P. O. Box Lg 67 Legon-Accra, Ghana E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract The effect of the dry powders of the roots and leaves of Ocimum canum, Zanthoxylum xanthoxyloides, Moringa oleifera and Securidaca longipedunculata on the survival of (Horn) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) was determined in the laboratory. Generally, all the plant materials exhibited various levels of bio efficacies, with Z. xanthoxyloides and S. longipedunculata exhibiting the highest potency. Percentage survivorship of 35% and 40% were recorded for the roots and leaves, respectively, of Z. xanthoxyloides against T. casteeneum while 20% and 30% were recorded for roots and leaves of S. longipedunculata, respectively, against P. tuncatus.

Introduction or furniture (Obeng-Ofori, 2008). and groundnuts play a predominant Prostephanus tuncatus has increased role in diets of developing countries. grains and dried storage problems Cereals and legumes are the cheapest wherever the pest is found (Obeng-Ofori, sources of food energy and contribute a high 2008). percentage of calories and proteins in the Several methods of control or diets of Ghanaian population (ISSER, 2011). management employed to minimize post Proset phanus t runcatus ( Horn) harvest food loss include physical, chemical (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and Tribolium and biological control. Under many castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: circumstances the easiest, most rapid and Tenebrionidae) are two of the most economical method of controlling is important insect pests that attack stored the use of insecticides. maize and groundnuts. Tribolium However, most of the contact insecticides castaneum is worldwide stored product pest used in stored product insect pest which attacks stored grain products (flour, management are lipophilic and accumulate in cereals, pasta, biscuits, beans, nuts, etc.) areas of high fat content such as the germ and causing loss and damage. It may cause an bran of cereals (Mensah et al., 1979). These allergic response but is not known to spread toxic residues tend to persist in the treated disease and cause any damage to structures products which may be detrimental to the 96 West African Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 22 (1), 2014

consumer. The use of chemicals also affect these with similar properties are the Ocimum non-target insect pests (natural enemies), gratissum (basil), and Ocimum sanctum (holy leads to the development of insect resistance basil). It is used as an insect repellent during and may even have effect on the applicator storage. It also works as a mosquito repellent (Obeng-Ofori, 2010). The use of natural to prevent malaria and dengue fever (Dokosi, products has been found to be very effective 1998). against stored product insect pests. Several Moringa oleifera, Lam, also known as plant products (leaves, ash, seed extracts, Moringa pterygosperma Gaertn, is a member oil, roots, etc.) are processed and mixed with of the Moringaceae family of perennial stored products or applied as insecticides to angiosperm plants, which includes 12 other species (Ramachandran et al., 1980). control these pests. These natural products Moringa oleifera is an edible plant. A wide are considered to be cheap, easily variety of nutritional and medical virtues biodegradable and readily available for have been attributed to its roots, bark, leaves, stored product production. The study aimed flowers, fruits, and seeds. at comparing the insecticidal efficacies of the powdered form of O. canum, M. oleifera Materials and methods and Z. xanthoxyloides against the adult P. Culturing the Insects truncatus and T. castaneum, using S. Tribolium castaneum Hebst. The initial stock longepedunculata as a reference. was obtained from infested flour purchased Securidaca longepedunculata Frees from the Makola market, Accra. The adult belongs to the family Polyglaceae. It is a were introduced into uninfested flour semi-deciduous shrub or small tree that and allowed for oviposition after which the grows to 12 m tall, with an often flattened or adults were sieved out 7 days later. The slightly fluted bole. It is spiny and much adults that emerged were transferred into branched, with an open, rather straggly another jar such that the F1 adults (which looking crown. Research shows that the bark were used as the culturing stock for the contains methyl salicylate. The presence of experiments) were of uniform size and age. saponins also in the bark and crushed seeds The set up was kept under a temperature of 32 give a soapy solution in water and are used O as soap for washing or bleaching clothes 2 C, 70% relative humidity and 12 L: 12 D (Orwa et al., 2009). photo regime. Zanthoxylum xanthoxyloides Lam Prostephanus truncatus Horn belongs to the family Rutaceae. It is a shrub The adults P. truncatus used in the that can grow to a small tree of up to 1.25 m experiments were obtained from the high and 0.13 m girth (Irvine, 1961). The Savannah Agricultural Research Institute, plant has been found to be effective in controlling several stored products pests. Nyankpala and were cultured in the (Udo, 2000, 2011). laboratory in jars containg maize grains at 28 O Ocimum canum Sims belongs to the ± 2 C and 70 ± 5% relative humidity and 12 family Lamiaceae and is an annual plant L: 12 D photo regime. These were removed a native to Africa. Two important relatives of week after oviposition to allow new Buxton et al.: Bio-activities of powders of four plants 97

progenies to emerge. This was to ensure that There were four replications per treatment the insects that were used for the experiment and these were kept under a temperature of O were of the same age. 28 ± 2 C, 75% relative humidity and 12 L: 12 D photo regime. Live and dead insects Collection of the plant samples were recorded daily for 1 week starting The plant species that were used were from 72 h (3 days) after treatment. An obtained from the following places: S. insect was considered dead if it did not longipedunculata: Bawku, Z. xantho- respond to prodding using a blunt probe. xyloides: University farms, Legon, Accra. Control mortalities were corrected for using M. oleifera: Sowutuom, Accra and O. Abbott’s formula: canum: La, Accra. The roots and leaves of {Percent test mortality – Percent control Securidaca longipedunculata, Zanthoxylum mortality)/ 100 – Control mortality} X 100 xanthoxyloides and Moringa oleifera were (Abbott, 1925). used but for Ocimum canum only the leaves Data were then analyzed using Analysis of were used. Vairance at 0.05 probability level using GenSat Statistical Package 9.2 (9th edition). Preparation of plant powders The leaves were removed from their Results and discussion branches and the roots cut into pieces and All the plant parts used showed various levels of bioactivity against adult P. were air-dried under normal room truncatus and T. casteneum. Comparing the temperature for 14 days to ensure that they bio-activities of the leaf treatment against were well dried. They were pounded using the insects, Z. xanthoxyloides yielded the mortar and pestle and further ground and least percentage survivals of 35% against sieved to obtained fine powders. T. castaneum and 40% against P. truncatus. On the other hand, for the root treatments Effect of the plant powders on adult insects S. longipedunculata yielded the least Two kilograms of uninfested whole maize percentage survival values of 30% against and groundnut were weighed separately. T. castaneum while Z. xanthoxyloides (The maize for P. truncatus and the yielded the least percentage survival of groundnut for T. castaneum). The seeds 20% against P. trancatus. The powder were sterilized in an oven to ensure that they preparation from the leaves of M. were not infested. One hundred grams of the oleifera, Z. xanthoxyloides and O. canum reduced the survival rates of both pests faster maize and groundnut was put into glass jars than of S. longipedunculata (Fig. 4). and the plant powders were admixed to it in There was significant (P < 0.05) difference the proportion 100 : 100 g (grains : between the leaf powders of the different plant powder) wt/wt. plants against T. castaneum. However, there The control had no plant powder added was no significant difference between the while the powder of S. longipendunculata was used as reference. After 1 h, 20 of the powder treatments of the plants against P. adult insects (of the same age) were truncatus (Fig. 4). Comparing the introduced into the treatments. bioactivities of only the roots against the 98 West African Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 22 (1), 2014

Z. xanthoxyloides

S. longipeduculata survival

% M. oleifera O. canum

Control

Fig.1. Effect of 100% wt/wt Powder treatment of the leaves of Z. xanthoxyloides, O. canum M. oleifera and S. longipedunculata on the survival of T. castaneum

Z. xanthoxyloides

S. longipeduculata survival

% M. oleifera

O. canum

Control

Fig. 2. Effect of 100% wt/wt treatment of the leaves of of Z. xanthoxyloides, O. canum M. oleifera and S. longipedunculata on the survival of P. truncatus. Buxton et al.: Bio-activities of powders of four plants 99

20 West African Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 22 (1), 2014

Z. xanthoxyloides

survival S. longipeduculata

% M. oleifera Control

Fig. 3. Effect of 100% wt/wt Powder treatment of the roots of Z. xanthoxyloides, M. oleifera and S. longepedunculata on the survival of T. castaneum

survival Z. xanthoxyloides

% S. longipeduculata

M. oleifera Control

Fig. 4. Effect of 100% wt/wt Powder treatment of the roots of Z. xanthoxyloides, M. oleifera and S. longipedunculata on the survival of P. truncatus 100 West African Journal of Applied Ecology, vol. 22 (1), 2014

insects, there was a significant difference (P of fatty acids and sterols in M. oleifera which < 0.05) between the powder treatments of the played a synergistic effect as antifeedants different plants against P. truncatus but against the insects (Kamel, 2010). Quercetin no significant difference between the and Kaempferal are also found in the M. powder treatments of the plants against oleifera (Prabhu et al., 2011). These are T. castaneum. flavinoids and phenol oxidase inhibitors which interfere with the biochemical Toxicity of powders processes involved in B-sclerotization, The powder forms of all the four plants, quinone tanning and melanin biosynthesis, i.e. O. canum, M. oleifera, Z. xanthoxyloides which occupies a major role in insect and S. longipedunculata exhibited various development and immunity, such as cuticle levels of bioactivities against the adult P. sclerotization, wound healing, and defense truncatus and T. castaneum. In a similar against foreign pathogens (Kubo, 2001). study by Udo (2011), it was reported that the Under the same wt/wt powder treatment of roots, bark and leaves of Z. xanthoxyloides the plants there were different levels of were very effective against C. maculatus and survivorship between the two insects. There S. zeamais. This phenomenon suggests the was higher rate of survival of T. castaneum presence of highly pungent secondary than P. truncatus in the powdered metabolites found in the roots of Z. treatment and this could be attributed to the xanthoxyloides (Adesina, 1986). One of the surface area of the powder form in which constituent secondary metabolites, the plant parts were administered. Zanthoxylol, has been identified as a Hodges (1986) indicates that T. csateneum phenolic compound reputed for insecticidal is a secondary pest which feeds on powdered activity (Elujoba & Nagels, 1985; Wongo, stored product like flour (hence their name, 1998). A study by Belmain et al. (2001) Red flour ) where as P. truncatus is a indicated that the powder of S . primary stored product pest of grains, hence, longipeduculata was very effective against the powdered conditions of the plant material R. dominica and P. truncatus. The presence rather may hve provided a better medium for of eugenol, which is a major essential oil in the survival of T. csataneum than P. the plant, as established by the above studies truncatus. may account for these physiological effects exhibited against the insects (Obeng-Ofori et Conclusion al., 1997). The study has shown the bio-efficacies of O. Prabhut e al. (2011) reported the canum, M. oleifera, Z. xanthoxyloides and S. larvicidal potential of M. oleifera against longipedunculata against P. truncatus and T. malarial vector, Anopheles stephensi Liston. castaneum. The roots and leaves powder of Kamel (2010) also showed that M. oleifera M. oleifera, Z. xanthoxyloides and S. was effective in the control of Spodoptera longipedunculata and leaf powder of O. frugiperda (J.E. Smith) as it yielded canum used in the ratio 100% wt/wt reduced antifeedant and toxic effect against the target the survival of P. truncatus and T. castaneum insect. These authors indicated the presence in stored grains. Buxton et al.: Bio-activities of powders of four plants 101

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