author(s)
VS Jilu, PK Borad and RD Patel

abstract
Laboratory trials were carried out at Department of Agricultural Entomology, B. A. College of Agriculture, AAU, Anand for evaluating vegetable oils as grain protectants against R. dominica in stored maize. Among the nine oils used, castor, neem and pongam oils (1%) gave higher mortality at different storage periods of maize, whereas coconut and groundnut oils (1%) were least effective against R. dominica in maize. The half-life value was 2.5 to 3 months in neem, castor and pongam oil, whereas it was below 2 months in groundnut oil. Gross persistency value was between 3100 and 4550 in mahua, pongam, neem and castor oils (1%), whereas the value was lowest (>2000) in groundnut oil. Castor, neem and pongam oils were found highly effective as less number of adults emerged. Groundnut and coconut oils were less effective with higher adult emergence. On the basis of percent loss in germination, neem, castor and pongam oils had lower germination loss, while groundnut and coconut oils had higher germination loss.