African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12506

Full Length Research Paper

Laboratory evaluation of freshly prepared juice from garlic (Allium sativum L.) Liliaceae as protectants against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Motsch.) [Coleoptera: Curculionidae]

Ifeanyi D. Nwachukwu
  • Ifeanyi D. Nwachukwu
  • Department of Plant Physiology, Institute for Biology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, D-52056 Aachen, Germany
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Elechi F. Asawalam
  • Elechi F. Asawalam
  • Department of Plant Health Management, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike P.M.B 7267 Umuahia, Abia state Nigeria
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  •  Accepted: 27 September 2013
  •  Published: 05 March 2014

Abstract

Fresh prepared garlic (Allium sativum L.) juice, containing the antimicrobial allicin, was evaluated as a possible grain protectant against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Motsch.). Each experiment was set out in completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications and a control treatment. Adult mortality and percentage weight loss were investigated. There was an observed increase in adult mortality following days of exposure in all treatments. Statistically significant (P<0.05) reduced grain loss was also observed in all the treatments when compared with the control. The juice prepared from an indigenous Nigerian garlic cultivar (GUN) was more lethal (causing 93% adult mortality), when applied topically on the freshly emerged S. zeamais adults, compared to the juice prepared from a clove of garlic purchased at a supermarket in Germany (GAG). High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis indicated that the amount of allicin in GUN was 1883.2 µg/ml while that in GAG was 3500.93 µg/ml. This study highlights the potential of A. sativum containing allicin for biorational control of maize grains against S. zeamais infestation and damage.

 

Key words: Allicin, Allium sativum, biopesticide, biorational control, crop protectant, Sitophilus zeamais, stored product.

Abbreviation

GUN, Umuahia main market, Nigeria; GAG, supermarket in Aachen, Germany; HPLC, high performance liquid chromatography; DADS, diallyl disulfide; TRPA1, transient receptor potential ankyrin-1.

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This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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