OVIPOSITIONAL AND FEEDING DETERRENT FROM CHINESE PRICKLY ASH AGAINST ANGOUMOIS GRAIN MOTH (LEPIDOPTERA, GELECHIIDAE)

As alternatives to synthetic organic insecticides, botanical materials are being investigated to control stored-product insects. To determin e the bioactive components in Chinese prickly ash, Zanthoxylum bungean um Maxim, against Angoumois grain moth, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier) , 4 fractions were separated from extract of locally purchased Chinese prickly ash using silica gel column chromatography. Gas chromatograph y-infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy were used to identify the compounds in the fractions. The results of choice tests showed that only the fraction containing 1 of the major compone nts (xanthoxylin) had significant deterrent effects on ovipositional:b ehavior. This compound also had strong antifeedant properties on larva e of S. cerealella in a no-choice bioassay. The results indicate that xanthoxylin has potential as a pest-control agent because it significa ntly deters oviposition as well as larval feeding, 2 critical life his tory stages of S. cerealella. More tests on other species of stored-pr oduct insects are needed to evaluate the potential of xanthoxylin as a general protectant against stored-product insects.