Powdered vegetables for the management of sitophilus zeamais motschulsky in storage

Abstract

Loss of stored grains is a problem for farmers. Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (weevil) is
the main pest in stored maize. To eradicate this pest are used chemicals causing pollution to
the environment and human health. The aim of the study was to determine the bioinsecticidal
properties of vegetables; These results of the application of a diagnosis to producers of the
communities Nueva and Rosario de Copainalá, Chiapas, Mexico. Sites where the five most
important plant species on weevil management were obtained: Horsetail (Equisetum arvense
L.), Hedgehog (Ricinus communis L.), Holy herb (Piper auritum Kunth), ocote (Pinus maximinoi
HE Moore), epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides L.), performing mortality and insect repellency
tests. A completely randomized design was used, with 25 treatments, one absolute and one
chemical (aluminum phosphide) with three replicates. In the laboratory the five vegetal species
were evaluated as pulverized. R. communis L. at 4% generated the highest mortality (53.3%).
For repellency C. ambrosioides L. at 1% and R. communis L. at 3 and 5% were the best. The
best treatment of the laboratory test was evaluated in stored maize; For mortality there were no
significant differences. The percentage of germinated maize is not affected by the application of sprays. R. communis L. presented statistically similar results in damaged grain than aluminum
phosphide. The weight loss of the grain was 0.97 kg.