author(s)
Nilesh Jawalkar, Sureshchandra Zambare and Sunita Zanke

abstract
The insecticidal property of Datura stramonium seed extracts against the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae was tested in the laboratory. The experiments were conducted at (28±3) ⁰C and (78±3) % relative humidity. It was observed that Soxhlet’s extracted extracts of D. stramonium seed in ethanol, chloroform and acetone were very effective to control the pest while extracts in methanol and n-hexane gave poor results. The probit analysis of data demonstrated that LD₁₀, LD₅₀ and LD₉₀ values for ethanol, chloroform and acetone extracts was LD₁₀ = 2.962, 3.080, 0.4752 ml/Kg, LD₅₀ = 8.594, 7.379, 1.185 ml/Kg and LD₉₀ = 24.94, 17.67, 2.957 ml/Kg respectively for 96 hrs. These results suggest that the mortality increased with increase in concentration as well as exposure time and the extracts of D. stramonium seed may be of high value in grain storage against S. oryzae, especially in subsistence agriculture where the plants are locally available to farmers with little resources. Hence, we conclude that extracts of D. stramonium seed served as being a potential insecticidal agent can be used against rice weevil, S. oryzae after proper dose formulation to prevent infestation in wheat and even other grains during storage.