Use of wood ash, dry chilli pepper fruits and onion scale leaves for reducing Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) damage in cow-pea seeds during storage

Abstract

Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) is a very serious pest of cow pea in storage in Nigeria and many other oountries (Singh, 1977; Tindall, 1983). Damaged seeds are riddled with emergence holes, defaced with egg covers and have reduced viability. Heavy attack causes severe powdering and weight loss. In Nigeria, about 30–60% loss in cow pea is attributed to infestation and damage by bruchid beetles over a 3- to 6-month storage period, of which over 90% is caused by C. maculatus alone (Caswell, 1981).