The Effect of Pod Powder of Acacia nilotica on the Development and Mortality of Bruchidus incarnatus

Abstract

Pods of Acacia nilotica were tested in powder form as seed dresser against Bruchidius incarnatus (Boh) on broad bean. The pod powder of A. nilotica was tested at three different rates viz, one gram, two grams and three grams per 400 broad-bean seeds. In the treatments in which the doses of one gram, 2 grams and 3 grams of powder were used, the beetles died after 6, 4 and 3 days respectively compared to 8 days in the control treatment. There were no significant differences among these rates with regard to the reduction of oviposition except the 3 grams dose rate which reduced oviposition by 67% compared to the control. There was no significant difference between any of the two rates, one and two grams when compared with the control treatment in reducing egg hatching. The higher dose (3 grams) gave 23% reduction in egg hatching. The 3-grams dose was the only treatment that reduced adult emergence significantly (67%) compared to the control treatment.