CONTROL OF Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky WITH FOLIAGE POWDERS OF TWO SPECIES OF Eucalypus GENUS

Abstract

Insect pests of stored cereals cause losses between 10 and 20%, which requires the search for effective and environmentally friendly control alternatives that pose no threat to human health. The objective of this study was to evaluate under laboratory conditions the insecticidal and insectistatic activity of Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus nitens foliage powder against Sitophilus zeamais. The studied variables were contact and fumigant toxicity and repellent and anti-feed activity. The contact and fumigant toxicity did not exceed 40% mortality in any of the concentrations evaluated, although the concentration of 8.0% affected the progeny, recording 80.9% inhibition of adult insect emergence (F1) in E. globulus and 86.7% inhibition in E. nitens. All the treatments showed repellency and E. nitens recorded a feeding deterrence index (FDI) of 60.5%. It can be concluded that E. globulus and E.nitens powder has potential as a repellent and inhibitor of the life cycle of S. zeamais.