he Use of Three Edible Oils in the Management of Caryedon serratus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Bruchidea) Infesting Stored Groundnut Seed Pods in Lafia, Nigeria.

hree edible plant product oils, West African Black Pepper (WABP) Piper guineense Schum and Thonn, Clove, Syzgium aromaticum (L.) Merril and Percy, Ethiopian pepper oil, Xylopia aethiopica (Dum) A. Rich, were studied for their effectiveness in the control and management of the Caryedon serratus Olivier. The oil was used at different dosage rates of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mg/70 g of unshelled groundnut pods against the groundnut bruchid C. serratus. The experiment was carried out as treatment before infestation (TBI) in the laboratory. The entire plant product oil significantly (P<0.05) reduced oviposition by C. serratus when compared with oviposition in the control treatments. Clove and WABP oil at the highest dosage rate completely reduced oviposition and hence deterred adult emergence at the F1 generation respectively while Clove oil deterred adult emergence of the F2 generation at the dosage rates of 1.5 and 2.0mg and WABP oil also completely deterred F2 adult emergence at the dosage rates of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0mg respectively. The potential effectiveness of all the three edible plant product oils implies that stored unshelled groundnut pods could be adequately protected against Caryedon serratus, thus reducing their infestation and damage on groundnut.