Evaluation of Polymeric Seed Coats containing Azadirachtin-A on Soybean Seed against oviposition of Callosobruchus analis Fab

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of polymeric seed coats containing azadirachtin-A on soybean seeds against oviposition of Callosobruchus analis Fab. Eight polymer coats containing azadirachtin-A were evaluated. The carriers employed included gum acacia, gum tragacanth, ethyl cellulose, hydroxyl ethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride and polyethyl methacrylate. All polymer coated seeds except polyvinyl chloride + azadirachtin-A significantly reduced oviposition of C. analis in comparrson to uncoated seeds. Most effective polymer coatings were polyethyl methacrylate + azadirachtin-A, polyvinyl acetate + azadirachtin-A and ethyl cellulose + azadirachtin-A. Efficacy of gum acacia + azadirachtin-A and ggm tragacanth was at par but less than the former treatments. Least effective seed coats were methyl cellulose + azadirachtin-A and hydroxyl ethyl cellulose + azadirachtin-A. Polyvinyl chloride + azadirachtin-A coated seeds were found ineffective against oviposition in C. analis.