37 INSECTICIDAL EFFECT OF BITTERLEAF (VERNONIA AMYGDELINA) AND FIRE WOOD ASH POWDERS ON COWPEA WEEVIL (CALLOSOBRUCHUS MACULATUS)

An experiment was conducted in the Crop Science Laboratory of the Kebbi State University of
Science and Technology, Aliero, to investigate the effect of Bitter Leaf Powder and Fire Wood
Ash on cowpea weevil. Treatments consisted of Bitter leaf powder at 5%, 10%, synthetic
insecticide (Permithrin at 5g/100g) and the untreated control laid out in a Completely
Randomized Design (CRD), in three replicates. The powders were tested along with a synthetic
insecticide as a check and the control using grains of a local cowpea variety. Data were
collected on the weevil mortality count, weevil population count and number of seed damage.
Results showed significant reduction of infestation on the stored cowpea seeds among the
treatments and wood ash proved more potent than the other organic treatments in reducing
weevil infestation in stored cowpea seeds. The study demonstrated that the two organic
insecticides used were effective in controlling Cowpea weevil with ash been significantly better
in the protection of cowpea grains from weevil damage during storage.