Abstract
Seven experiments were conducted at Entomology division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research
Institute (BARI), Gazipur and two farmer's storehouses from 1994 to 1998 to study the damage of
some stored pulses by the pulse beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis (Linn.) and its control with
botanicals. Among the containers such as Tin, 'Motka', Jute sack and Polythene bag. Tin is suitable for
storing up to 270 days of pulse seeds which can protect infestation and weight loss against insect and
maintain moisture content and viability of seeds followed by polythene bag. The oils of Neem, Royna
and Castor at 6 and 8 ml/kg and leaf powder of Bishkatali, Marigold and Castor at 5% w/w were most
effective in preventing the egg laying in lentil and chickpea (ranged from 1.0 to 2.0 and 0.7 to 2.0
eggs/100 seeds) and leaf powder of Bishkatali, Marigold, Castor and Mango at 5% were most effective
in reducing the adult emergence in lentil and chickpea where as the adult emergence was nil in preand post-storage release methods. The water extracts caused mortality of C. chinensis at 24h to 72h
exposure period, all the tested materials gave 100.0% mortality except control where the mortality was
nil. The chemical extracts of each of the tested botanicals having the sole crude extract and the ratio at
1:1 and 1:2 parts gave 100.0% mortality except control (nil) at 6h of exposure. The ethanol, methanol
and acetone extract of botanicals such as leaf extract (sole), leaf extract + 1 part water prevented the
egg laying with a range of 0.3 to 1.7 eggs/100 seeds in lentil and 0.3 to 6.7 eggs/100 seeds in chickpea
and provided 100% protection of infestation and weight loss to lentil and chickpea seeds when stored
in treated sacks up to 4 months. The pulse stored in extract (sole) and extract + 1 part water of ethanol,
methanol and acetone treated sacks had no adverse effect on germination and the highest germination
in lentil and chickpea was ranged from 82.0 to 90.3% and 82.3 to 89.3%. The pulse seeds stored in
traditional and improvised containers revealed that Galvanized Tin drum, Traditional Tin, Coal tarcoated 'Motka', Polythene-lined 'Motka', Plain 'Motka', Polythene-lined 'Dole' and Polythene-lined Jute
sack had no infestation and their germination retained in lentil (84.0 to 88.0%) and chickpea (85.0 to
93.3%) and maintained moisture content ranged from 10.0 to 11.3% (lentil) and 10.3 to 11.3%
(chickpea) up to 12 months. The oils of Neem, Royna and Castor at 8 ml/kg, leaf powder of Neem,
Bankalmi, Bishkatali, Marigold, Castor and Mango at 5% w/w and the crude extracts of Neem,
Bankalmi, Bishkatali, Marigold, Castor and Mango at 8 ml/kg prevented the egg laying of pulse beetle
in lentil and chickpea seeds ranged from 1.3 to 2.7 and 1.3 to 3.3 eggs/100 seeds. Similarly, the
infestation and weight loss in lentil and chickpea were prevented 100% by oils, leaf powder and crude
extracts of the tested botanicals compared to control up to 9 months of storage. Also, the oils, leaf
powder and crude extracts had no adverse effect on the germination of lentil and chickpea seeds up to
9 months of storage. The moisture content of lentil and chickpea (9.0%) seeds did not increase due to
use of oils, leaf powder and crude extracts of the tested botanicals while the highest moisture content
obtained in the seeds of the control (11.7 and 12.0%) during 9 months of storage.