Bioefficacy of Novaluron®, a chitin synthesis inhibitor against the tropical warehouse moth, Ephestia cautella

Abstract:

The tropical warehouse moth, Ephestia cautella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is a major pest of stored maize in Ghana. It is controlled mainly by the use of synthetic insecticides which has become a major challenge in the stored product industry in Ghana. Both laboratory and field trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of novaluron, a chitin synthesis inhibitor against E. cautella. Five concentrations of Novaluron (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mL/L of water) were prepared and each concentration was topically applied on the notal regions of 10 fifth instar larvae of           E. cautella per concentration. At 0.4 mL/L and 0.5 mL/L treatments, larval mortality ranged between 50-80% after 96 h of exposure. Also, Novaluron (0.5 mL/L) was used to treat four surfaces (concrete, wood, glass and plastic) usually encountered in structural insect pest management systems and the larvae exposed to these surfaces. Hocklicombi^® (5 mL/L) served as positive control. Larval mortality (35.5-97.5%), pupation (0.0-35.0%) and adult emergence (0.0-20.0%) in surfaces treated with Hocklicombi^® compared favourably with those treated with Novaluron (25.0-97.5%), (2.5-60%) and (0.0-42.5%), respectively. A simulated field experiment was conducted in which four batches of 5 kg of maize in miniature bags were pretreated with 0.4 mL/L Novaluron and 50 unsexed adults were introduced. This was left in a crib at the University of Ghana farm for 60 days. The field experiment showed that after 60 days of storage there was a lower weight loss in the Hocklicombi^® (6.6%) and Novaluron (6.8%) treatments compared to the negative control (11.3%).

Key words:

Novaluron, Hocklicombi^®, Ephestia cautella, warehouse moth, chitin, loss assessment.

Authors: Sackey I, Eziah VY and Obeng-Ofori D.	Abstract :- (.pdf) Full text :- (pdf)
Institution: Department of Crop Science, College of Agriculture and  Consumer Sciences, P. O. Box LG 44, University of Ghana, Legon.	Google scholar Cite factor Academia.edu Issuu Mendeley ejournals.org	Scribd Indian sciences.in Slideshare Cite u like Index Copernicus

How to cite: Sackey I, Eziah VY and Obeng-Ofori D. Bioefficacy of Novaluron®, a chitin synthesis inhibitor against the tropical warehouse moth, Ephestia cautella. Journal of Research in Biology (2013) 3(1): 759-767

Abstract: (pdf) ; Full text (pdf)

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