The Rate of Infestation and Control of Commonly Consumed Groundnut Varieties by Groundnut Seed Beetle, Caryedon Serratus in Benue State, Nigeria

O.O. Comfort ¹ , N.G. Imandeh ² , A. Onekutu ³ , M.O. Iboyi ⁴

^1,2,3,4 Department of Zoology, Joseph Sarwuan University, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) is a globally cultivated legume. Nigeria’s groundnut production is estimated to be around 4.3 million metric tons. The yields consist of both local and improved varieties. The groundnut bruchid (Caryedon serratus Olivier) Coleoptera: Bruchidae is known to infest groundnut seeds. active ingredients such as Piperine, Acetyl eugenol, and phenolics found in West African Black Pepper, Clove and Ethiopian pepper shown proven efficacy in reducing oviposition and causing complete mortality of Careydon. serratus in lab conditions. Five groundnut varieties—Benada, Stainless, Samnut24, Samnut25, and Samnut26—were assessed for infestation by Careydon serratus and control using three edible plant oils. The overall infestation rate was 55.5%, with Stainless (62.5%) and Benada (60%) being the most susceptible, while Samnut24 had the lowest at 45%. Variations among varieties were not statistically significant (p>0.05). The study highlights that plant oils can deter oviposition in Caryedon serratus, with effectiveness differing by oil type, concentration, and variety. Significant differences in egg-laying were noted based on oil treatment and variety (F = 42.479, P=0.00 for treatment; F = 6.283, P=0.000 for variety). The study on larval emergence of the seed beetle (Caryedon serratus) across different groundnut varieties emphasizes the importance of treatment concentration for effective pest control. West African black pepper at 2ml and 3ml concentrations yielded the lowest emergence rates, with 2ml being optimal. Groundnut varieties minimally affected larval emergence, though Samnut25 showed fewer emergences with the weaker Ethiopian pepper solution, indicating limited resistance. Statistical analysis revealed a significant interaction between treatment types and varieties, highlighting that not all treatments impact each variety equally. The findings support the importance of considering both the variety and treatment in pest management strategies. The study investigates the impact of clove, Ethiopian pepper, and West African black pepper oils on the mortality of adult Caryedon serratus, finding no significant dose-dependent effects from different concentrations, but noting that exposure duration significantly affected mortality rates (p<0.05). Clove oil shows considerable mortality against various insects, with active compounds like eugenol contributing to efficacy.

Keywords: Careydon serratus; Clove; Ethiopian pepper, Infestation; Mortality; West African Black Pepper; Varieties

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