1Department of Chemistry, University of Pune, Pune - 411 007
2Department of Agri. Entomology, College of Agriculture, Pune - 411 007, India
*Corresponding author. E-mail: ssab@chem.unipune.ernet.in
Effect of a proteinaceous alpha amylase inhibitor (AI) from seeds of cow pea (Vigna unguiculata) was tested in vitro against gut alpha amylases of Tribolium castaneum and Corcyra cephalonica. Feeding trials were carried out with second instar larvae of C. cephalonica. Varying concentrations of the AI (0.2–1% of the diet) were used in the diet and larval development monitored for a period of 25 days. The AI inhibited gut alpha amylases of both the larvae in vitro. Among the C. cephalonica larvae feeding on diet containing 1% AI, 50% mortality was recorded 7 days after feeding and 90% mortality after 22 days of feeding.
Alpha amylase inhibitor, Corcyra cephalonica, Tribolium castaneum, Vigna unguiculata
