Potential of plant oils against Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera; Bruchidae)on stored mung bean (Vigna radiata)

In the present study four plant oils including neem oil (Azadirachta indica), castor oil (Ricinus communis), mustard oil (Brassica rapa) and almond oil (Prunus amygdalus) were evaluated against Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera; Bruchidae) applied to mung bean (Vigna radiata) at a dosage of 10ml/kg. Free choice and no choice experiments were conducted to observe the oil effects on insect orientation, adult mortality, oviposition, adult emergence, seed weight loss and seed viability. All these oils showed 100% reduction in adult emergence and seed weight loss. Neem oil was proved to be most effective in oviposition deterrence as well as in deterring insects. These oils also did not affect seed viability.