Plant essential oils for the management of pulse beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis L. in stored chickpea

One of the primary pests of stored chickpeas causing qualitative and quantitative loss is Callosobruchus chinensis L., causing about 50 - 60% of seed weight loss and 45.5 - 66.3% of protein content loss. Residual hazards caused by continuous and injudicious use of synthetic chemicals can result in several health-related problems for humans and animals. In stored chickpea to protect severity losses and human health hazards, biorational management of pulse beetle is undertaken, focusing briefly on biology. Using plant-derived essential oils to control pulse beetle in stored chickpeas is an efficient tactic with fewer toxicity hazards for natural enemies and non-target organisms over the field. The following experiment was conducted and studied in the Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, during 2018 - 2021. The results showed that the essential oils as grain protectants when tested on chickpea seeds, showed the superior performance of citronella and neem oil (5 mL/kg of seeds). These oils completely protected the seeds from pest infestation for up to 4 months and significantly reduced the pest build-up without affecting seed germination. Further study may contribute to Integrated pest management (IPM) practices and may also enrich the use of plant essential oils in further management of pests, excluding harmful chemical practices.