ISSN 2756-3839
International Journal of Nematology and Entomology ISSN 2756-3839 Vol. 8 (10), pp. 001-005, October, 2022. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Bioactive fractions of n-hexane extracts from Vigna pods against the legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata Fabricius
Oigiangbe, O.N.2, L.E.N. Jackai2, F.K. Ewete3 and L. Lajide4
1Insect Rearing Unit, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria.
2Campbell Hall, Room 200-B, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 6088, USA.
3Department of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
4Dept. of Chemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.
Accepted 8 September, 2022
Abstract
The identification of resistance factors in Vigna species has been a major constraint to the development of effective host-plant resistance against the major insect pests of cowpea. We studied the effects of some fractions of the n-hexane extract of green pods of three Vigna species namely V. vexillata, V. oblongifolia and V. unguiculata on the growth, development and fecundity of Maruca vitrata Fabricius. When incorporated in the artificial diet, the phenolic, acidic and basic fractions had no significant effect on larval growth and development. However, the neutral fraction from the three Vigna species showed antibiosis by significantly reducing larval weight, percentage pupation and adult emergence. There was no pupation on diet with V. vexillata neutral fraction. We conclude that neutral fractions of the green pods of wild Vigna species contain metabolites which can be exploited in the genetic engineering of cultivated cowpea for resistance against M. vitrata.
Key words: Vigna species, resistance, n-hexane extract, Maruca vitrata, larval growth, fecundity.