author(s)
V Sarada, SVS Gopala Swamy, T Madhumathi and PK Varma

abstract
Preference of pulse beetle towards black gram grain treated with inert materials such as sand as a surface layer of 3.0 cm thickness, cow dung ash @ 5% and red earth @ 5% and plant products including Sesamum oil @ 2%, neem seed powder @ 3%, dried neem leaves @ 5%, dried Ocimum leaves @ 5%, vasaka powder @ 3% and sweet flag rhizome bits @ 5% were assayed under free choice conditions by using ten arm olfactometer. The Excess Proportion Index for the sand layer treatment was -0.84 as the insects could not access the grains. Among the botanicals, sweet flag rhizome bits with an EPI of -0.82 showed strong repellency followed by vasaka plant powder (-0.78) and neem seed powder (-0.65). The sand layer and Sesamum oil treatments showed with no oviposition, adult emergence and per cent grain damage. The treatments; neem seed powder, sweet flag rhizome bits and vasaka powder recorded minimum oviposition (1.67, 2.0 and 6.0no.s respectively), less number of adult emergence (5.67, 7.67 and 10.0 respectively) and per cent grain damage (1.67, 3.0 and 12.0 respectively).