Experiments were conducted inside metal drums situated in the breeding
room at 26 ±2°C and 60 ±5 % RH. to evaluate the impact of the acetone extracts
of, piَnciana seed Delonix regia, cinnamon strip bark Cinnamonum zeylanicum,
colves flowering buds Syzygium aromatcum, mustard seeds Brassica alba and
radish seeds Raphanus sativus at 1% w/w alone. 16 ppm malathion alone and
under modified atmosphere (MA) of ca. 25% C02-compared with untreated
grains - َn the populations of the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.), the lesser
grain borer Rhizopertha dominica (F.) and the red flour beetle Tribolium
castaneum (Herbst), as well as the loss in weight of maize grains stored for one
year.
The results showed that exposure of the three insect species to the
extracts of cloves, mustard, radish and malathion under the MA of 25% Co2
showed a total inhibition of the insect populations during the 12 months storage
periods of maize grains. Also, it was found that grain treatment with cloves
extract alone showed complete inhibition of the three insect species populations
and also lower rates in grain losses during the 12 months storage period, while
cىnnainon extract or mustard seeds extract alone gave lower reduction rates in the
grain losses and proved to be ineffective in reducing maize grain losses during the
test period. Meanwhile. T castaneum adults were less sensitive to all treatments
than S. oryzae and R. dominica adults.