Study on Biopesticidal Potential of Some Desert Plants.

This study was conducted to determine the biopesticidal potential of extracts of some desert plants against mortality of three stored grain pests Tribolium castaneum Herbst., Rhizopertha dominica Fab. and Callasobruchus chinensis Linn. The study was done by treating them with various formulations of different parts (leaf, stem, root and fruit) of plants Aerva tomentosa Linn, Peganum harmala Linn. and Fagonia critica Linn. using ether extract, aqueous extract and aqueous suspension at various dose concentrations of 1, 2.5, 5 and 10%. The plant parts of P.harmala caused 60 – 80% mortality while of other two plants resulted in 30 – 50% mortality of the insect among plant parts stem was observed to be least effective while leaf was found to be most effective in causing mortality of the insects.