Evaluation of vegetable oils against pulse beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) infesting pea seeds (Pisum sativum 1.)

Six vegetable oils viz., mustard, neem, karanj, cedar, apricot and olive were evaluated for protection of pea seed from pulse beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis L. One day after treatment, maximum mortality (22.22%) was observed in neem oil coated seeds which was statistically at par with karanj oil (16.67%). On day-3, neem coated seeds resulted 55.56% mortality and  its 3 and 1 per  cent concentrations were equally effective (50.00 and 43.33% mortality). On day-7, highest mortality (90.00%) was observed in neem coated seeds followed by karanj (77.78%), cedar (66.67%) and mustard (36.67%). Complete mortality was  recorded  in neem oil coated  seeds  at 5 per  cent concentration  and was  significantly higher  than 3 per  cent (90.00%) and 1 per cent (80.00%) concentration. After 15-day observation, neem and karanj resulted 100.00 and 95.56 per cent kill, respectively. Maximum mortality was observed in seeds coated with neem oil (72.22%), followed by karanj (65.56%), cedar (53.33%), mustard (38.44%), olive (32.89%) and apricot (29.56%). The minimum number of eggs (4.78 eggs/5 females) recorded in neem oil coated seeds was statistically at par with karanj (6.67eggs/5 females). Minimum adult emergence (0.56 beetles) was recorded in neem oil coated seeds was statistically at par with karanj (0.89 beetles) after sixty days of treatment.