GROWTH-INHIBITION AND IMPAIRMENT OF REPRODUCTIVE POTENTIAL IN TRIBOLIUM-CASTANEUM (HERBST) (COLEOPTERA, TENEBRIONIDAE) BY COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE PLANT-EXTRACTS

Postembryonic development and adult emergence of Tribolium castaneum ( Herbst) were adversely affected in varying degrees when its larval sta ge was reared on wheat flour treated separately (at concentrations of 0.001-1.0%) with one of the following commercially available extracts: roots of both sweetflag, Acorus calamus Linn. and java devil pepper, Rauwolfia serpentina Benth ex Kurz, fruit cortex of soap nut, Sapindus trifoliatus Linn. and gum of Indian Myrrh Commiphora mukul Jacq. A ma rked decline in the reproductive potential, in terms of female fecundi ty and egg hatchability was observed when the extracts were applied to pically or administered orally through diet.