Research Article
Repellent and Attractant Activity of Syngonium Podophyllum Schott (Araceae) Plant Extracts Against Three Stored-product Pests: Species-specific Responses of Tribolium Castaneum, Callosobruchus Chinensis, and Sitophilus Oryzae
Nazmul Hoque
,
Tandid Kamal,
M. Habibur Rahman*
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 4, December 2026
Pages:
73-84
Received:
29 September 2026
Accepted:
10 October 2026
Published:
28 October 2026
Abstract: Insects that live in stored grain and pulses are usually controlled with chemicals, but plant extracts that keep insects away, known as repellents, are a possible alternative. Most studies of plant repellents test only one kind of insect and ask only whether it is driven away. We asked whether the same plant extract could push one pest away while drawing another one in. Extracts of the ornamental plant Syngonium podophyllum Schott (Araceae) were prepared with three solvents, petroleum ether, chloroform and methanol, and offered to three major stored-product pests: the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), the pulse beetle Callosobruchus chinensis (L.) and the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.). In each test dish, one half was treated with extract and the other half was left untreated; ten adult insects were released in the centre and counted on each side every hour for five hours, at five doses with three dishes per dose. The red flour beetle and the pulse beetle avoided all three extracts, and did so in every one of the 90 dishes in which they were tested; average repellency was about 55% for petroleum ether, 44 to 51% for chloroform and 22 to 25% for methanol. The rice weevil behaved differently: it was repelled only weakly and inconsistently by petroleum ether, was not affected by methanol, and was attracted to the chloroform extract, settling on the treated side in all 15 of its dishes. The chloroform extract, which killed none of the three pests in toxicity tests, was therefore one of the most active materials in changing their behaviour. These results show that one plant extract can have opposite effects on pests that share the same store. A treatment that protects pulses or flour could draw rice weevils toward stored cereals, while the attractive fraction could be developed as a bait for weevil traps.
Abstract: Insects that live in stored grain and pulses are usually controlled with chemicals, but plant extracts that keep insects away, known as repellents, are a possible alternative. Most studies of plant repellents test only one kind of insect and ask only whether it is driven away. We asked whether the same plant extract could push one pest away while d...
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Research Article
Evaluation of Systemic Insecticides and Application Frequencies Against Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera Frugiperda) on Maize (Zea mays L.) at Yabello and Abaya, Southern Ethiopia
Rameto Nura*,
Kemal Kitaba
Issue:
Volume 10, Issue 4, December 2026
Pages:
85-92
Received:
5 October 2026
Accepted:
17 October 2026
Published:
31 October 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.aje.20261004.12
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Abstract: Maize is a widely cultivated and economically important crop, serving as a major source of food and income for households in the study area. However, its productivity is severely constrained by both abiotic and biotic factors, among which fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is the most destructive insect pest, causing significant yield losses. This study was conducted to evaluate and identify effective insecticides for the management of fall armyworm in maize. The experiment was carried out using three insecticides—Rambo 24.7% EC, Wantox 40% EC, and Con-Fidence 350 SC (Imidacloprid 35% W/V)—along with an untreated control, arranged in a randomized complete block design. The maize variety Melkasa-4 was planted at a spacing of 75 cm between rows and 25 cm between plants. Insecticides were applied after the onset of infestation, and pest incidence and damage levels were assessed over three consecutive spray rounds. Agronomic parameters, including plant height, number of cobs per plant, number of infected cobs, hundred-seed weight, grain yield, and flowering and maturity dates, were recorded. Data were analyzed using SAS software. The results showed that plots treated with Con-Fidence 350 SC (Imidacloprid 35% W/V) had the lowest fall armyworm infestation (16.44%), whereas the untreated control recorded the highest infestation (96.07%). Similarly, the highest grain yield (4250.38 kg/ha) was obtained from plots treated with Con-Fidence 350 SC, while the lowest yield (1126.0 kg/ha) was recorded in the control. Economic analysis revealed that this treatment also provided the highest net benefit (189,167.1 ETB) with an acceptable marginal rate of return. In conclusion, application of Con-Fidence 350 SC (Imidacloprid 35% W/V) at a rate of 0.4 L/ha was found to be effective in reducing fall armyworm infestation and improving maize yield. These findings provide a practical basis for improving the management of Spodoptera frugiperda and enhancing sustainable maize production in the study area.
Abstract: Maize is a widely cultivated and economically important crop, serving as a major source of food and income for households in the study area. However, its productivity is severely constrained by both abiotic and biotic factors, among which fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is the most destructive insect pest, causing significant yield losses. Th...
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