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ABSTRACT
Plant material from the families Annonaceae, Piperaceae, and Rutaceae are used for the protection of stored products against insect pests in Nigeria. Following an outline of the different methods used for assessing insecticidal activity, 16 plants and plant products are alphabetically listed within families, summarizing the laboratory data currently available and, where possible, information on constituents and comparative studies with conventional synthetic insecticides. Of these families, only a few, all species in the genera Citrus, Dennettia, and Piper have been sufficiently tested in the laboratory to give an indication of their potential usefulness as stored-product protectants. More rigorous testing of these plant materials is required if the potential for botanical protectants is to be realized and the plant materials can be compared with recommended synthetic insecticide pyrethroids for repellency/antifeedant activity, contact adult mortality, and reduction in F1 production along with seed viability and land quality. Also extensive surveys to identify more plants with probable insecticidal properties need to be done with standardized assessment of residual effectiveness against all stages of the insect life cycle and the stored commodities. More attention may need to be given to the characterization and quantification of chemical constituents and to variations which may occur in different karyotypes. Determining the availability of appropriate extraction and application technology if the use of plant protectants is to be for the benefit of research, industry, the Nigerian population, and the economy may be necessary. By summarizing the contributions already made on the use of plant materials for protection of stored products against insect pests in Nigeria, it is hoped that duplication will be avoided.
