Repellent activity of alligator pepper, Aframomum melegueta, and ginger, Zingiber officinale, against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais |
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Authors: | Donald A Ukeh Michael A Birkett John A Pickett A Jennifer Mordue |
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Institution: | a School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, AB24 2TZ, United Kingdom b Department of Crop Science, University of Calabar, PMB 1115, Calabar, Nigeria c Centre for Sustainable Pest and Disease Management, Biological Chemistry Department, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Herts AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom |
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Abstract: | The repellent activity of alligator pepper, Aframomum melegueta, and ginger, Zingiber officinale (Zingiberaceae), against the maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was investigated in four-way olfactometer bioassays. Results showed that vacuum distilled A. melegueta and Z. officinale extracts were repellent towards adult S. zeamais both in the absence and the presence of maize, Zea mays, grains. Bioassay-guided liquid chromatographic fractionation of the distillates showed that fractions containing oxygenated compounds accounted for the repellent activity. Coupled gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), followed by GC peak enhancement and enantioselective GC using authentic compounds, identified 3 major compounds in the behaviourally active fractions of A. melegueta and Z. officinale to be (S)-2-heptanol, (S)-2-heptyl acetate and (R)-linalool in a ratio of 1:6:3, and 1,8-cineole, neral and geranial in a ratio of 5.48:1:2.13, respectively. The identification of these behaviourally active compounds provides the scientific basis for the observed repellent properties of A. melegueta and Z. officinale, and demonstrates the potential for their use in stored-product protection at the small-scale farmer level in Africa. |
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Keywords: | Aframomum melegueta Zingiber officinale Repellent Sitophilus zeamais |
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