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Neem, mustard, and black pepper extracts kill beetles that ruin stored cowpeas

OpenAlex · 2026-09-25

Oils pulled from neem seed kernel, mustard, black pepper, annona and groundnut seeds all killed adult pulse beetles, a major pest of stored cowpeas. Neem was used as the benchmark, so the study offers a plant-based alternative to synthetic pesticides for protecting stored beans.

1

Five plant ether extracts (neem seed kernel, mustard, black pepper, annona, groundnut) were toxic to adult Callosobruchus maculatus.

2

Relative toxicity was calculated using neem seed kernel extract as the standard reference product.

3

Probit analysis was used to estimate LC50 values, the dose that kills half the beetles, for comparing the extracts.

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