Teneral adults of Dinoderus porcellus were raised in the laboratory and exposed to various temperature regimes 10 0 C. Egg incubation ranges between 6 to 8 days and there were significance difference (P<0.05) in the developmental period of larva and no significance difference (P<0.05) at the pupal stage. However, developmental period was prolonged on Dioscorea cayenensis as temperature increases.

Capsicum annum and Capsicum frutescens fruit and seed powders were evaluated in the laboratory for the
control of Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) in stored cowpea and Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky in stored maize.
Capsicum frutescens seed powder and Capsicum annum seed powder dust were toxic to C. maculatus and
S .zeamais at the rate of 5.0g, 7.5g and 5.0g, per 50g cowpea and 50g maize within 48hrs and 96hrs respectively.
This paper highlights the potential of C. frutescens and C. annum seed powders as seed protectants against the
test bruhids at higher rates, than their ineffective fruit powders in all parameters assessed

Background: Callosobruchus maculatus is an important insect pest of cowpea. The inhibitory effects of oil extract of Acalypha wilkesiana (Muell Arg.) leaves on antioxidant, neurotransmitter, and detoxifying enzyme in adult Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) were evaluated under laboratory condition. The leaves of the plant were collected fresh and air-dried before the oil was extracted from them through cold extraction method while ethanol was used as solvent. Adult C. maculatus were exposed to 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 ml of 0.5% concentration of the oil extract and were homogenized separately. The supernatants gotten from them were used as enzyme sources. The activities of SOD, CAT, GPx, AChE, CarEST and GST were observed with photospectrometer. GC-MS analysis was done to evaluate the active compounds present in the oil extract. Results: The activities of the enzymes increased at lower dosages of the oil extract (0.2 and 0.4 ml) and reduced drastically at higher dosages of the oil (0.6, 0.8, and 1.0 ml). However, AChE activity was more affected by the oil extract as it was almost inhibited by the oil extract. The GC-MS showed that 114 compounds were present in the oil extract of the plant while acetaldehyde had the highest percentage (46.07%) of the total compounds. Conclusion: Based on these findings, the oil extract of A. wilkesiana could be a good biopesticide for the control of adult C. maculatus instead of synthetic chemical insecticides.

Laboratory evaluation of Calotropis procera, Alstonia boonei, Jatropha curcas and Argemone mexicana latex as biopesticide against cowpea bruchid, Callosobruchus maculatus (Fab.) [Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae] were evaluated at ambient temperature and relative humidity of 28±2 o C and 75±5% respectively. The plants latex was tested at rates of 0.5 ml, 1 ml, 1.5 ml and 2 ml / 20 g of cowpea seeds. Adult mortality and adult emergence of the insects were investigated. Results showed that at rates of 1 ml, 1.5 ml and 2 ml/ 20 g of cowpea seeds, A. boonei latex evoked 100% mortality of adult cowpea bruchid after 4 days of post treatment. This is followed by C. procera and J. curcas which caused 100% mortality of cowpea bruchid at rates of 1.5 ml and 2 ml / 20 g of cowpea seeds while the least effective plant Argemone mexicana latex. There was no adult emergence in seeds treated with A. boonei latex at tested concentrations and C. procera and J. curcas at rates of 1.5 ml and 2 ml / 20 g of cowpea seeds compared with untreated that had 87.75% adults emergence. The results obtained from this study revealed that Alstonia boonei, Calotropis procera and J. curcas latex were effective in controlling of C. maculatus and could serve as an alternative to synthetic insecticides for the protection of stored cowpeas against bruchids.

No abstract