Potential of Cleisthopholis patens Elliot as a maize protectant against the stored product moth, Plodia Interpunctella (Hubner) (Lepidoptera; Pyralidae)

The root bark powder, stem bark powder and leaves powder of Cleisthopholis patens were tested for their insecticidal activity as a stored product protectant at four different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 g) on the moth, Plodia interpunctella, at ambient tropical storage conditions of temperature and relative humidity. Moth mortality, egg hatchability, adult emergence were used as indices of insecticidalactivity. The result obtained shows that the root bark powder was effective at 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 g/20 g of the maize evoking 100% adult moth mortality within 72 h of application. The stem bark powder of C.patens at 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 g/20 g of the maize produced 78 – 100% moth mortality within 72 h of treatment. But the stem bark powder caused 100% adult moth mortality of P. interpunctella at 3.0 g/20 gmaize in 96 h post-treatment. The leaf powder was moderately effective against the adult moth at 3.0 g/20 g of the maize grain in evoking 70 – 80% adult mortality within 96 h of treatment. The root and stembark powder inhibited development of egg to adult at all the concentrations evaluated and therefore prevented adult emergence. However, 2 – 11% adult emergence of P. interpunctella was obtained in the maize grain treated with the leaf powder

Laboratory evaluation of four medicinal plants as protectants against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Mots)

The petroleum ether extract of four medicinal plants; Aristolochia ringens (Vahl), Allium sativum (L), Ficus exasperata (L) and Garcinia kola (H), were evaluated as grain protectant against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Mots) in the laboratory at 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% (w/v) concentrations. Parameters assessed were adult mortality, rate of adult emergence, grain damage effect and weevil peforation index (WPI). There was increase in adult mortality with days of exposure in all concentrations. Ar.ringens followed by Al. sativum were most potent both in adult mortality and adult emergence. This study reveals Ar. ringens to be a potent bioinsecticide for protecting maize grains from S. zeamais infestation and damage. The details of the bioassay procedure used and the results obtained are reported

Effect of drying methods on the chemical composition of three species of fish (Bonga spp., Sardinella spp. and Heterotis niloticus)

Three methods of drying (oven, sun and smoke) were used to dry Bonga spp., Sardinella spp. and Heterotis niloticus. The physico-chemical and minerals contents of the sample were determined using standard methods. Oven dried H. niloticus recorded the highest (16.42%) moisture content while the least moisture content 9.27% were obtained in oven-dried and sun-dried Sardinella sp. Highest protein content (51.06%) was found in sundried Sardinella sp., while the highest and the least fat value of 60.36% and 12.13% were recorded for smoke-dried and sun-dried H. niloticus, respectively. Banga sp. have the highest ash content of all the fish evaluated for proximate composition. The highest value of the major elements were obtained in this decreasing order K > Na > Mg > Ca in Sardinella sp. (ovendried) H. niloticus (sun-dried) H. niloticus (smoke-dried) and Sardinella sp. (oven-dried). The highest value of major element K (250 mg), Na (218 mg), Mg (183 mg) and Ca (150 mg) were obtained inSardinella sp. (oven-dried), H. niloticus (sun-dried), H. niloticus (smoke-dried) and Sardinella sp. (oven-dried), respectively. Zinc had the highest value of all the trace elements determined while Copper had the least value. Smoke-dried and oven-dried sample were found most palatable by the panellists, while the ones with most attractive colour were smoke-dried samples