COMBINED INSECTICIDAL EFFECTIVENESS OF ESSENTIAL OILS OF TWO LOCALLY GROWN PLANT AND ALUMINUM PHOSPHIDE AGAINST TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM

Tribolium castaneum is the most vicious and cosmopolitan pest which causes considerable loss to stored products. It has developed resistance against Phosphine in different parts of the world especially in developing countries. Need of the day is to search the plants derived natural products as an alternative to conventional and synthetic insecticides to overcome environmental hazards and ever-increasing pest resistance against these pesticides. Keeping in view, the current studies were carried out to evaluate the toxicological impact of essential oils (5, 10, 15%) of Melia azadirach and Azadirachta indica, Phosphine gas (100, 200, 300 ppm) and their different combinations against T. castaneum. Mortality percentage was recorded after 24, 48 and 72 hours. A. indica caused maximum mean mortality (34.48%) with highest concentration at 72 hrs of exposure, while 74.58% mortality was observed in Phosphine 300 ppm at 72 hrs. Combined application of these essential oils and Phosphine increased mortality significantly; 90.55% and 82.59% mortality was observed in 300 ppm +15% A. indica and 300 ppm +15% M. azadarach respectively after 72 hrs.