Botanicals as Grain Protectants

• Main Authors: Yallappa Rajashekar, Nandagopal Bakthavatsalam, Thimmappa Shivanandappa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2012-01-01
• Series: Psyche: A Journal of Entomology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/646740

Prevention of food losses during postharvest storage is of paramount economic importance. Integrated pest management is now a widely accepted strategy in pest control including postharvest infestation control which involves the use of chemical (contact/residual) insecticides along with fumigants. The use of synthetic chemical insecticides is either not permitted or used restrictively because of the residue problem and health risks to consumers. In view of the above, there is a need for plants that may provide potential alternatives to the currently used insect control agents as they constitute a rich source of bioactive molecules. Available literature indicates that plant could be source for new insecticides. Therefore, there is a great potential for a plant-derived insecticidal compounds. This paper focuses on the current state of the botanical insecticides as grain protectants and its mode of action.