Assessment of Insecticidal Efficacy of Diatomaceous Earth and Powders of Common Lavender and Field Horsetail against Bean Weevil Adults

In the search for an effective and sustainable control method against the bean weevil Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say), an important insect pest affecting stored common beans and other legumes, three different powders were tested against adult been weevils under laboratory conditions. The three powder...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Neotropical entomology 2013-12, Vol.42 (6), p.642-648
Main Authors: Bohinc, T, Vayias, B, Bartol, T, Trdan, S
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acanthoscelides obtectus
adults
Agriculture
Animals
beans
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Curculionidae
Diatomaceous Earth
Entomology
Equisetum
Equisetum arvense
insect pests
Lavandula
Lavandula angustifolia
Life Sciences
mortality
Pest Control, Biological
Pest Management
Powders
relative humidity
synergism
temperature
Weevils
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Summary:In the search for an effective and sustainable control method against the bean weevil Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say), an important insect pest affecting stored common beans and other legumes, three different powders were tested against adult been weevils under laboratory conditions. The three powders were diatomaceous earth (DE) (commercial product SilicoSec®), common lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) powder and field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) powder. The substances were tested at five temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, and 35°C), two relative humidity levels (RH) (55 and 75%), and four concentrations (100, 300, 500, and 900 ppm). The mortality of adults was measured after the 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 7th days of exposure. The efficacy of the powders increased with the temperature, whereas in general, RH did not have a significant effect on the adults’ survival. According to common practice of storing common beans, we recommend the use of DE against the pest in question, as this inert powder showed the highest efficacy at lower temperatures and concentrations. Concerning the wider use of common lavender and field horsetail powders, we suggest studying their combined use with other environmentally friendly methods with the aim of achieving the highest synergistic effect possible.
ISSN:1519-566X
1678-8052
DOI:10.1007/s13744-013-0168-7