Journal of Entomological Research

In a laboratory experiment efficacy of leaf, inflorescence and stem powders of Parthenium hysterophorus against Callosobruchus maculatus F. on stored chickpea seeds was investigated. Plant powder was mixed with the seed lots at 4 concentrations (1, 2, 3 and 4%) and the untreated seed lots were taken as control. The mean laboratory temperature and relative humidity during the study period was 29.6 ± 2.3°c and 66.3 ± 4.8%, respectively. The adult mortality after 5 days of treatment increased with increase in the concentration of plant powders but the reverse trend was observed in F₁ progeny production. The leaf, inflorescence and stem powder caused 40 - 73.33%, 43.33 - 83.33% and 36.67 - 56.67% adult mortality, respectively. But, the F₁ progeny production in the above 3 types of plant powders were 13 - 5.67, 12 - 6.33 and 17.33 - 9.67. The percentage inhibition rate in adult emergence was directly proportional to the concentration of plant powders. The highest inhibition rate was 86.16% in leaf powder as against the lowest value of 57.73% in stem powder.