Department of Environmental Biology and Fisheries, Ondo State, Nigeria.
Kneading method of extraction was used to extract Alstonia boonei leaf, stem bark and root. The extracts were evaluated on Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky) for mortality, oviposition, adult emergence and reduction in progeny development effects. Results showed that the stem bark extract was most toxic on S. zeamais. The least potent extract on S. zeamais was root extract. The extracts significantly reduced oviposition in S. zeamais. There was no significant different in the water absorption capacity of maize grains treated with A. boonei extracts. Extract of A. boonei stem bark completely prevented infestation and subsequence damage of the treated maize grains. In the grains treated with the leaf and root extracts, damage of 4.65% and 11.11%, respectively were obtained. The results obtained reveal that extract A. boonei stem bark is effective in controlling S. zeamais and could serve as an alternative to synthetic insecticides.
Keywords: Alstonia boonei; mortality; oviposition; progeny development; entomocide; Sitophilus zeamais; weevil perforation index; viability