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Combination of neem and physical disturbance for the control of four insect pests of stored products

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Abstract

Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) has been demonstrated to reduce insect populations in stored products through its toxic and growth-disrupting and other effects on the pests. Grain movement and percussion also help to kill pests in grain. The combination of neem and grain movement on population growth and development of four insect pests is reported in this study. Dried whole neem leaves, neem leaf powder and neem seed kernel oil were combined individually with dried beans and rice in separate experiments, and subjected to varying degrees of gentle grain tumbling. The results showed that the combined treatments were more effective in reducing populations and disturbing growth and development of Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say) (Bruchidae), Sitophilus oryzae (Linnaeus) (Curculionidae), Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Linnaeus) (Silvanidae) and Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) (Cucujidae) compared to the untreated control or the neem or tumbling treatments alone. This study demonstrates the potential of a simple, effective and cheap method of protecting stored seed or food grain in small-scale storage for resource-poor farmers who do not have access to sophisticated control methods, entoleters or other mechanical devices for grain protection.

Résumé

Le neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) a montré son efficacité pour réduire les populations d’insectes dans les produits stockés, de par ses effets toxiques et la perturbation de la croissance des ravageurs. Le brassage des grains et le recours aux vibrations aident également à tuer les ravageurs. L’ influence de la combinaison du neem et du brassage des grains sur le développment des populations de quatre espèces nuisibles d’insectes a été étudiée. Les feuilles entières sèches de neem, la poudre de feuilles de neem, et l’huile de pépins de graines de neem ont été mélangées individuellement avec des haricots secs et du riz, et, ces mélanges ont été soumis à des brassages d’intentsités variables. Les résultats montrent que les traitements combinés limitent plus efficacement le développement des populations d’Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say) (Bruchidae), de Sitophilus oryzae (Linnaeus) (Curculionidae), d’Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Linnaeus) (Silvanidae) et de Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) (Cucujidae) que les traitements de neem seuls ou le brassage seul. Cette étude montre le potentiel d’une méthode simple, efficace et bon marché pour protéger des légumineuses ou des céréales stockées surtout pour les fermiers pauvres qui n’ont pas accès aux méthodes de contrôle sophistiquées ou à d’autres dispositifs mécaniques pour la protection de graines.

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  1. Faculty of Agriculture, University of Mauritius, Reduit, Mauritius

    Sunita Facknath

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Facknath, S. Combination of neem and physical disturbance for the control of four insect pests of stored products. Int J Trop Insect Sci 26, 16–27 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1079/IJT200698

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