Abstract

Direct spraying of synthetic chemicals on consumable produce and products is a major concern of consumers and most times treated grains fail the regulatory maximum residue levels (MRLs) of pesticides. In a bid to circumvent direct sprays of insecticides on produce, this study, carried out at the Laboratory of the Department of Crop Science and Technology of the Federal University of Technology in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria, aims at determining the effect of impregnating two most-used storage bag types with known insecticides. It is also intended by this study to find out which of the two storage bags; Bagco (BCB) (15 × 10 cm) and Calico cloth (CCB) (15 × 10 cm), would be preferable when it becomes inevitable to spray insecticides directly on stored cowpea seeds. To determine the protective ability of the two storage bag types when Callosobruchus maculatus F. infested Ife brown cowpea seeds are stored in them, the bags were impregnated with Actellic 25 E.C solution (15.0, 30.0 and 45.0 wt/v) and Icon 10 CS (3.15, 6.30 and 9.5 wt/v) in Experiment I. In Experiment II, the protective ability of the two bag types when seeds treated with different concentrations (10.0, 20.0 and 30.0 wt/v) of Actellic 25 E.C are stored in them, was investigated. Each treatment was replicated thrice. Data collated was laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) fitted in a factorial arrangement. Five pairs of female and male bruchids were put into each of the bags containing 100 g cowpea seeds. Bags treated with Actellic 25 E. C. solution had higher mortality (85.00, 96.60 and 96.60%) at 24h. Conversely, Icon 10 CS had no immediate knockdown effect on the bruchids. The control recorded low bruchid mortality at 24h (5.00%). Actellic 25 E.C® impregnated bags reduced seed damage considerably and may replace the conventional practice of applying pesticides directly on stored produce, a practice that increases pesticide residual toxicity levels in stored produce.