Six rotenoids have isolated from Indigofera tinctoria, characterized by means of their spectral data and/or co-tlc. The total estimation studies revealed that rotenol was major rotenoid in both in vivo and in vitro. Similarly, by elicitation studies, we observed that summatrol synthesis was higher at the concentration of 0.01 mM ergosterol and salicylic acid. Among all sequential fractions, met...

The repellent activity of monoterpenoids viz. eugenol, zimtaldehyde and neem oil against pulse beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) was investigated. Responses varied significantly with compound, dose and exposure time. The tested components showed highest level of repellency against C. maculatus at a dose of 1 μl. Over 80%, Class V, repellency was achieved after 5 to 60 min. treatment with th...

Across the animal kingdom the duration of copulation varies enormously from a few seconds to several days. Functional explanations for this variation are largely embedded within sperm competition theory in which males modulate the duration of copula in order to optimize their fitness. However, copulation is the union of two protagonists which are likely to have separate and often conflicting re...

A laboratory study was conducted to investigate the effects of natural products on the reproduction and damage of Callosobruchus maculatus, the cowpea weevil, on cowpea seeds at Botswana College of Agriculture in Gaborone, Botswana. The cowpea variety Blackeye was used in the study. Fifty grams of each plant product (garlic, peppermint and chilies) was added to 500 g of the cowpea seeds. Findin...

Mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek var. radiata] is an important pulse crop in Asia, and is consumed as dry seeds and as bean sprouts. It is an excellent source of digestible protein. Bruchids [Callosobruchus chinensis (L.) and Callosobruchus maculatus (F.)] are the important pests of mungbean and cause damage in the field and in storage. Bruchid infestation reduces the nutritional and mar...

Griffonia simplicifolia 11, an N-acetylglucosamine-specific legume lectin, has insecticidal activity when fed to the cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.). A cDNA clone encoding G. simplicifolia II was isolated from a leaf cDNA library, sequenced, and expressed in a bacterial expression system. The recombinant protein exhibited Kacetylglucosamine-binding and insecticidal activity against...

Freeze dried powdered leaves of Cymbopogum citratus (DC) Stapf, Cinnamomum camphor a (L.) Nee & Eberm Ipomoea mauritiana Jacq. famarandus indicus L., Lantana camara L., Myroxylon balsumum (L.) Harm, Citrus aurantium L. and vitex altisima L. were tested against Callosobruchus maculatus under nochoice and choice situations. Under no-choice situation, V. altisima at the rate of 5.0% w/w was highly...