Phytochemical Screening, Ftir and Insecticidal Effect of Sapindus Mukrossi Against Callosobruchus Analis (Chrysomelidae: Coleoptera) Infesting Stored Vigna Radiata

The Callosobruchus analis (F.) is one of the major pests of genus Callosobruchus belonging to the family Bruchidae. It exclusively attacks seeds of the family Leguminosae in stores and is hence responsible for great economic loss to farmers. To protect stored grains against C. analis pest populations, farmers use a variety of chemical pesticides and insecticides. These chemical insecticides are not safe for human consumption as they cause serious health hazards and also pose a serious threat to the environment. Therefore, to avoid the negative effects of chemical pesticides, it is necessary to adopt more efficient alternatives that are nonhazardous and environment friendly. One of the alternatives is the use of naturally derived insecticides, such as plant extracts. These plant extracts are also beneficial in preventing the development of pest resistance due to the presence of bioactive compounds. Hence, in the present study, the laboratory experiments were conducted to test the efficacy of four extracts of Sapindus mukrossi, namely, petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol, and aqueous, against C. analis infesting the seeds of Vigna radiata. These results suggest that S. mukrossi fruit contains bioactive compounds with insecticidal properties, as confirmed by phytochemical screening of extracts and FTIR analysis of powder. The studies on the insecticidal effects of these extracts reveal that these plant extracts show a significant level of adult mortality, reduced oviposition by female adult C. analis, and reduced F1 adult emergence from infested seeds of V. radiata.