Green management of rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) by new botanicals

Bio-efficacy of different botanicals against the rice weevil, S. oryzae L., as grain (rice and wheat) protectant were carried out under laboratory condition. The repellency (R%) and mortality (M%) of S. oryzae for individual botanicals was significantly varied (F_12,143 < 32.535, P < 0.0001) due to respective toxic phytoconstituents like phenols, flavonoids, tannins, saponin, alkaloid, phytate, oxalate, etc. The efficacy of the selected botanical mixtures (@ 10 g/kg) including negative (without treatment) and positive (Cypermethrin @ 50 mg/kg) control were varied significantly (F_4,10 ≥ 18.522 -723.000, P < 0.001) for both grains. Based on overall efficacy, M3 botanical mixture [Curry (A), Indian Bay (B) and Parthenium (L) leaf dust] can be used as most potent grain protectant (@ 10 g/kg) for the grains (rice > wheat) in place of chemical protectants like Cypermethrin, because they both showed cent percent pest control potential of S. oryzae within 15 days than the others without significant (F_1,4 = 0.367, P > 0.05) differences.