Abstract
The cowpea weevil (Callosobruchus maculatus) is a major pest of cowpea in storage and is responsible for serious significant post-harvest losses in cowpea globally and this is a major challenge to cowpea storage in tropical regions. This study evaluated the dose-dependent effects of wood ash, kaolin clay, and clove powders on post-harvest losses and quality of stored cowpea. The experiment consisted of the three treatment materials applied at 3 dosage levels (2g, 4g and 6g per 100g of the cowpea seeds) alongside untreated control given a total of 10 treatments. Parameters assessed included: adult mortality, adult emergence, ovipostion, grain damage and weight loss. The experiment was arranged in completely randomized design (CRD) and was replicated 3 times. A total of 10 weevils per treatment was introduced into the containers containing 100g of uninfested seeds. Results from the study revealed that all the treatments reduced the weevil infestation and postharvest losses compared to the untreated control. Clove treatment gave the highest mean mortality level of 2.1, 2.5 and 3.3 at (2, 4, and 6g) respectively. This was followed by clay at 6g with a mean mortality level of 2.1 while ash gave a lower number of mortality of 1.6, 0.8 and 1.3 mortality at (2, 4 and 6g) respectively and these were all significantly different at (p ≤ 0.05) from the control with the least mean mortality level of 0.1. Generally the seeds treated with clove recorded the least no of eggs, least number of adult emergence, least number of damaged seeds and the least percentage weight loss compared to other treatments and these were significantly different from the control with the highest number of eggs, emergence, damaged seeds and percentage weight loss. Conclusively, the three powders tested showed repellent and toxic effects on the adult beetles, with mortality rates and oviposition increasing in association with higher concentrations. Clove emerged as the most effective treatment across all parameters tested, underscoring its potential for comprehensive pest management strategies and therefore is recommended as an alternative to effective management of the cowpea weevil.. Keywords: Dose-dependent, Kaolin clay, Clove, Wood ash, Post-harvest, Sustainable, Cowpeajaerem NEW Efummibe, P.E 23
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