Ethanolic Leaf Extract of Medicinal Plants As Grain Protectant Against Callosobruchus Chinensis (Linn.) in Cowpea.

Average % adult mortality was high when grains were treated with Lantana (100%) and Lippia (95.8%) and they significantly differed from other medicinal plants leaf extract and acetone control. The fecundity was significantly reduced in grains treated with Lantana (1.67 nos.), Lippia (3.00 nos.) and Clerodendron (4.33 nos.) compared to the acetone control (27.67 nos.). Oviposition inhibition rate was to the tune of 84.35 to 93.96 per cent in these treatments. with regard to the progenies F₁ to F₆ multiplication, it was least in grains treated with Lantana (57.67 nos.) followed by Clerodendron (75.33 nos.) and Lippia (85.92 nos.) and high in acetone control (278.83 nos.). in these treatments, the population build up was nearly 3.25 to 4.84 times less compared to the acetone control. The % loss in grain weight was also minimum in Lantana treated grains (3.4%) when compared to the acetone (40.2%). The results revealed that ethanolic leaf extracts of Lantana, Clerodendron and Lippia 0.5% W/V were effective grain protectants in suppressing the pulse beetle damage.