EFFECTIVENESS OF THE LEAF POWDER OF Ficus exasperata Vahl. (Moraceae) IN SUPPRESSING THE POPULATION OF TWO MAJOR STORAGE INSECT PESTS

Laboratory evaluation of the effectiveness of old and young sandpaper leaf, Ficus exasperata on Callosobruchus maculatus and Sitophilus zeamais was carried out for a period of 72 hours. The effect of the leaf powder were observed at different dosage rates; 50g, 40g, 30g, 20g and 10g per 50g seeds of cowpea and maize .The treated and untreated grains were sampled and assessed every 24 hours for mortality rates of the insects. Results obtained showed that the young sandpaper leaf powder had the highest mortality rate of insects for the five different rates, both on C. maculatus and S. zeamais. The result got from the application of old leaf powder ranged from 0.00+0.00-5.00+5.77, 7.50+5.00-19.50+5.00 and 15.00+10.00-45.50+15.10 respectively from the first day to the third day post application on C maculatus while that young leaves ranged from 5.00+5.77-10.00+8.16, 37.50+12.58-37.50+12.58and 65.00+5.77-90.00+8.16 from the first day to the third day respectively.It was also observed that the mortality rates for C. maculatus were generally higher than what was obtained for S. zeamais.