Sustainable Grain Protection: Combatting Rice Weevils (Sitophilus oryzae) with Natural Plant Powders
Md. Rakibul Hasan
Department of Seed Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.
Md Sohel Rana
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.
Md Roconuzzaman Nasim
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.
Masum Billah
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.
Sadia Rahaman
Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.
Kazi Rifat Shahrin
Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-E-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh.
Md. Anisur Rahman
Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.
Krishna Rany Das
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.
Kazi Shahanara Ahmed *
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Grain storage plays a pivotal role in ensuring food security and sustaining agriculture for future generations. However, a wide array of insect pests, including the rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae), pose a significant threat to stored grains. This study was conducted at the Laboratory of the Department of Seed Science and Technology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, from October 2019 to March 2020, to evaluate the efficacy of plant-based powders for managing rice weevils. The experiment was designed using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications and seven treatments. These treatments included five botanical powders—Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi), Azadirachta indica (Neem), Polygonum hydropiper (Biskatali), Nicotiana tabacum (Tobacco), and Lantana camara (Lantana)—applied at three dosage levels: 1 g, 3 g, and 5 g per 100 g of grain. Additionally, a chemical insecticide (Sevin 85 SP @ 0.25%) and an untreated control were included for comparison. Results revealed that neem leaf powder was the most effective, achieving the highest adult insect mortality and the lowest adult emergence. In contrast, Lantana powder exhibited the least efficacy, allowing 94.38% more adult insects to emerge compared to neem powder. Untreated grains experienced a 20% weight loss due to rice weevil infestation after one month of storage, whereas treatment with 5% neem leaf powder reduced weight loss to a mere 0.14%. This reduction was statistically significant compared to all other treatments. These findings suggest that neem leaf powder at 5% is a highly effective, eco-friendly, and safe alternative to chemical insecticides for controlling rice weevils in stored grains.
Keywords: Rice weevil, Ocimum tenuiflorum (Tulsi), Azadirachta indica (Neem), Polygonum hydropiper (Biskatali), Nicotiana tabacum (Tobacco) and Lantana camara (Lantana), Sevin 85 SP