GROWTH REGULATORY ACTIVITIES OF INDIGENOUS PLANT EXTRACTS AGAINST RED FLOUR BEETLE, Tribolium castaneum (HERBST) (COLEOPTERA: TENEBRIONIDAE)

Growth regulatory effects of extracts of four medicinal plants which including Salsola baryosma, Pegnum hermala, Saussurea costus and Nicotiana tabacum were evaluated and data regarding pupation and adult emergence of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) was observed. Applications of various concentrations viz, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0% of acetone extracts of test plants were made on the wheat flour, data regarding pupation and adult emergence was collected after each 5 days of treatment till the emergence of adults. The results showed that plant extracts had significant effect on percent pupation and percent adult emergence and with increase in concentration their emergence decreased. The acetone extract of N. tabacum at maximum concentration (10%) showed minimum percent pupation (40%) and percent adult emergence (28%) followed by the plant extracts of S. baryosma, P. hermala and S. costus. The acetone extract of S. costus was proved least effective; it showed maximum percent pupation (88%) and percent adult emergence (78%) at lower concentration (2.5%). From these results it was concluded that the extracts of indigenous medicinal plants could be useful as growth inhibitors for suppressing the population of T. castaneum.