Due to several ecological and human hazards of synthetic pesticides in postharvest crop protection, there is the need to search for eco-friendly alternatives. In this study, chemical composition and insecticidal activities of essential oil (EO) obtained from Hoslundia opposita dried leaves were evaluated against cowpea seed bruchid. Eight constituents, predominated by oxygenated monoterpenes (78.86%), were identified using Gas Chromatography (GC)/MS. The constituents were 1,8-cineole (1; 61.15%), followed by α-terpineol (2; 16.81%), β-phellandrene (3; 13.24%), β-farnesene (4; 3.55%), α-pinene (5; 1.89%), Germacrene D (6; 1.83%), cis-sabinene hydrate (7; 0.90%) and caryophyllene (8; 0.63%). In fumigation bioassay, at 6 h after exposure (HAE), 0.78 ml EO/l air caused 35.33% mortality which was significantly lower than 60.90% and 63.6% observed at 3.15 and 6.25 ml/l air, respectively. Mortality reached 90.0% at 24 HAE regardless of the applied concentration. Lethal time for 50% of the bruchids (LT50 ) at concentration of 0.78 ml/l air (6.89 h) was higher than the LT50 at 3.15 and 6.25 ml/l air (4.72 and 4.44 h, respectively). H. opposita EO reduced Callosobruchus maculatus oviposition, while progeny emergence observed in EO-treated seeds (2.42 - 25.73) was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than 51.56 observed in control. The results confirm H. opposita EO's potentials for control of cowpea bruchids.
Keywords: Hoslundia opposita; Cowpea bruchid; Fumigant toxicity; Progeny emergence; Reproductive efficiency.
© 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.