Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.
1998
Volume 1
Issue 1
Topic:
Agronomy
ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
Błażejewska A. , Wyrostkiewicz K. 1998. THE INFLUENCE OF FOENICULUM VULGARE FRUIT POWDER, EJPAU 1(1), #05.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume1/issue1/agronomy/art-05.html

THE INFLUENCE OF FOENICULUM VULGARE FRUIT POWDER

Aleksandra Błażejewska, Krystyna Wyrostkiewicz

 

ABSTRACT

Sitophilus oryzae L. was bred on wheat grains with different doses of ground Foeniculum vulgare fruit powder. The powder added lowered the fertility of Sitophilus not only in the generation exposed to it but also in the succeeding generation (F1) bred with no Foeniculum vulgare powder added.

Key words: Sitophilus oryzae L., Foeniculum vulgare, powder, fertility.

INTRODUCTION

Chemical control of insects feeding on cereal and flour products stored does not always bring expected results. For that reason for many years an intensive search for other alternative bio-rational methods to fight them has been taking place [2]. The new research profiles aim at defining possibilities to reduce pest population and not a direct destruction but scaring them away or control-ling their behaviour and development process [3, 5]. Natural plant substances can be applied here which interfere with the development and fertility of the pest.

For the last few years the influence of different plant dried materials (added as powder to the products the pests feed on) on the cereal and flour pests has been widely researched [1].

The aim of the present research was to define the direct and consequent influence of the Foeniculum vulgare fruit powder applied in different doses on the fertility of the Sitophilus oryzae. The Foeniculum vulgare fruit was selected referring to the results of the earlier research [2].

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The research focused on the Sitophilus oryzae. The leaf beetles were bred in glass vessels filled with 100 g wheat grains. Breeding took place in an air-conditioned laboratory at the constant temperature of 25 - 27°C and humidity of 70 - 80 %. The material applied in the tests was ground dry Foeniculum vulgare fruit. The powder was added to the vessels with wheat and shaken for about 5 min. The research consisted of three tests, three series each. In each of them the procedure was repeated 10 times - 1 breeding vessel as one.

In the first test the Sitophilus oryzae individuals were bred in vessels filled with wheat grains with some Foeniculum vulgare fruit powder added. The following doses were applied: the 1st series: 0.625 g, the 2nd series - 1.25 g and the 3rd series 2.5 g.

The leaf beetles of the descendant generation (F1) in test 1 were used to establish the 2nd and 3rd tests. In the second test the Sitophilus oryzae individuals were bred in 3 series on wheat with the same powder doses added as in the 1st test. In the third test, the leaf beetles were bred in all the series with nothing added. Control tests were conducted for each series with no powder added.

The breeding was established as follows: 10 female and 10 male Sitophilus oryzae aged 2 - 4 days were placed in vessels filled with wheat sprinkled with 5 ml distilled water. The vessels were hermetically covered with mill gauze. After 20 days all the leaf beetles were removed. When the first descendent generation individuals appeared, vessels were controlled every two days, new leaf beetles were counted and removed. Control and calculations were conducted as long as new individuals appeared.

The data obtained was analysed statistically. The object means were verified with the Tuckey test. Besides fertility index was defined for each of the series (the number of descendent individuals divided by the number of females of the parent generation).

RESULTS

After 20 days, when removing the initial generation leaf beetles, no dead individuals were observed in the series. In the first test, the lowest dried material dose slightly stimulated the Sitophilus oryzae fertility (48.1, and 36.4 in control test) (Table 1). In the other series with bigger powder doses applied, the leaf beetles fertility decreased when compared with the control test. The statistical analysis showed significant differences in the mean number of individuals between the control test and the 2nd and 3 rd powder doses.

Table 1. The influence of Foeniculum vulgare fruit powder on the Sitophilus oryzae L.

Test no

Observations

Number of samples

Control test

Powder doses

0.625 g

1.25 g

2.5 g

NIR

LSD

I

with powder added

mean number of F1 individuals

 

10

364.0

481.1

335.0

269.2

 

132.44

Min.

280

279

134

173

Max.

479

711

558

449

initial generation fertility index

36.4

48.1

33.5

26.9

II

with powder added

mean number of F2 individuals

 

10

485.8

208.4

34.1

8.1

184.10

Min.

376

75

1

3

Max.

634

324

60

16

F1 generation fertility index

48.5

20.8

3.4

0.8

III

with no powder added

mean number of F2 individuals

 

 

10

485.8

303.6

243.0

171.7

111.71

Min.

376

175

123

69

 

Max.

634

491

324

365

 

F1 generation fertility index

48.5

30.4

24.3

17.2

 

The 2nd test was a repetition of the 1st one; to start the breeding of Sitophilus oryzae F1 generation from the 1st test was applied. A sequence of series and powder doses were like in the 1st test. The mean number of descendent individuals (F2) in the series with the powder added was much lower than in the control test and in the 1st test and it amounted to 8.1 individuals in the test with the highest powder dose to 208.4 at the lowest dose. In the control test 485.8 leaf beetles were obtained. The significance of differences between the number of the Sitophilus oryzae was defined statistically.

In the 3rd test, the descendant leaf beetles from the 1st test were bred in subsequent series with no powder added. The fertility index in all the three series was much lower than in the control test and similarly to the 2nd test, it decreased with the increase in the powder dose. However it was higher than in the 2nd test.

The analysis and comparison of the results obtained in the three tests shows that the Foeniculum vulgare fruit powder added to wheat lowered the fertility of the Sitophilus oryzae. From the data obtained in the 3rd test one can conclude that the powder not only directly limited the fertility of Sitophilus oryzae (the 1st and 2nd tests) but also had some consequent effect on the F2 gene-ra-tion when the powder was no longer used in the breeding (the 3rd test).

DISCUSSION

The coverage on the influence of fruit powders on storage pests has been inconsiderable, with the data provided being frequently contradictory [1]. It has been suggested that the powders obtained from plant dry materials can be toxic and act as a deterrent. There is not much coverage on the influence of fruit powders on Sitophilus oryzae fertility and development available in easily acces-sible literature. Sharaby [9] observes that powdered pear (Psidium guajawa) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptys globulus) leaves limited the development of Sitophilus oryzae. The initial results of research conducted by Błażejewska and Cieślińska [2] show that also Foeniculum vulgare fruit powder can have unfavourable effect on the development of Sitophilus oryzae, which was confirmed in the present research. Jacobson [5], Ignatowicz and Wesołowska [3] claim that Foeniculum vulgare can act as a deterrent due to its ethereal oils. One can conclude that in our experiment it was also true with Foeniculum vulgare dried fruit powder containing ethereal oils. It can be suggested, as Nawrot and Winiecki [7] observe, that the powder tested could have influenced wheat grain cuticula properties, lowering the number of Sitophilus oryzae individuals. It seems that both, ethereal oils and cuticula p roperties, can be significant here.

CONCLUSIONS

  1. The Foeniculum vulgare fruit powder applied in the tests did not influence Sitophilus oryzae mortality.
  2. The lowest powder dose (0.626 g) slightly stimulated fertility of leaf beetles.
  3. Higher powder doses (1.25 i 2.5 g) lowered Sitophilus oryzae fertility considerably.
  4. The results of the 3rd test showed that Foeniculum vulgare fruit powder not only directly limited the fertility of Sitophilus oryzae, but also had some consequent effect on F2 genera-tion.

REFERENCES

  1. Banasik K., Ignatowicz St., 1995. Zastosowanie proszków roślinnych w ochronie produktów magazy--nowych przed szkodnikami. Mat. XXXV Sesji Nauk. IOR, cz.I, 160-165.
  2. Błażejewska A., Cieślińska A., 1996. Wpływ suszu i z owoców kolendry siewnej i kopru włos-kiego na rozwój i płodność wołka ryżowego. Progress in Plant Prot., 36, (II), 47-50.
  3. Ignatowicz St.,1996. Przegląd niechemicznych metod zwalczania szkodników magazyno-wych. Progress in Plant Prot., 36 (1), 207-215.
  4. Nawrot J., Harmatha J.,1994. Natural products as antifeedants against stored products insects. Post-harvest News and Inform., 5, 17-21.
  5. Rąkowski G., Ignatowicz St., 1997. Effects of some plant exstracts on fecundity and longevity of the dry bean weevil, Acanthoscelides obtectus Say (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). Pol. Pismo Entomol., , 66 (1-2), 161-167.
  6. Sobótka J., Nawrot J., 1988. Aktualny stan badań i perspektywy praktycznego wykorzystania substancji wpływających na zachowanie się i rozwój owadów. Mat. XXVIII Sesji Nauk. IOR, 263-275.

Submited: 20.08.1998
Aleksandra Błażejewska, Krystyna Wyrostkiewicz
Chair of Entomology,
University of Technology and Agriculture
20 Kordeckiego St., 85-225 Bydgoszcz, Poland
tel. (+48 52) 3790365
e-mail: ento@adm.atr.bydgoszcz.pl

Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed ‘Discussions’ in each series and hyperlinked to the article.


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