Efficacy of Different Botanical Powders against Groundnut Bruchid (Caryedon serratus) in Five Stored Groundnut Kernel Varieties

Abstract

Storage infestation by the groundnut bruchid (Caryedon serratus) can reduce the usable mass of groundnut kernels. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of selected locally available botanical powders against groundnut bruchid (Caryedon serratus) in stored groundnut kernels. A factorial experiment was carried out at the Plant Protection Sciences Laboratory, University of Kordofan, Sudan, during the 2022/23 storage season using four botanical powders at 1.25% (w/w): neem seed (Azadirachta indica), hot pepper (Capsicum frutescens), gadgad (Geigeria alata), wormwood (Artemisia herba-alba) and an untreated control. Five groundnut varieties (Ghibeish, Sudri, Barberton, Ashford, and local variety) were evaluated under controlled storage conditions for two months. Seed weight retention was used as the principal indicator of varietal resistance and treatment effectiveness. Results revealed significant differences among botanical treatments, varieties, and their interaction effects on seed protection. Wormwood powder at 1.25 per cent recorded the highest mean seed weight retention (72.48 ± 1.52 g), followed by chili powder (71.13 ± 1.56 g), while untreated seeds experienced the greatest losses (55.81 ± 1.68 g). Among varieties, Ashford variety showed the highest resistance (70.08 ± 2.62 g), whereas the local variety exhibited the greatest susceptibility (65.48 ± 1.70 g). The highest overall protection was obtained from the Ashford × wormwood combination (82.32 ± 0.75 g), indicating a variety × treatment interaction between varietal resistance and botanical treatment. These findings demonstrate that selected botanical powders, particularly Artemisia herba-alba and Capsicum frutescens, may offer promising alternatives to synthetic insecticides for sustainable groundnut storage protection in Sudan.