EVALUATION AND EFFICIENCY OF NEEM LEAVES POWDER AS BIOPESTICIDE ON PEST CALLOSOBRUNCHUS MACULATUS

The infestation of stored grains by Callosobruchus maculatus (cowpea beetle) remains a major constraint to food preservation and storage in many developing regions, resulting in significant post-harvest losses. This study evaluates the effectiveness of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves powder as an eco-friendly biopesticide against C. maculatus in stored cowpea. Fresh neem leaves were collected, air-dried, ground into fine powder, and applied at varying concentrations (0 g, X g, Y g, and Z g per 200 g of cowpea) to assess adult mortality rate, oviposition deterrence, adult emergence suppression, and overall seed protection efficiency. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design and data were analyzed statistically to determine significant differences among treatments. Results revealed that neem leaves powder exhibited strong bioactivity against C. maculatus, with higher concentrations significantly increasing adult mortality and reducing both egg laying and adult emergence. Treated cowpea samples also showed minimal weight loss and grain damage compared to the untreated control. The findings demonstrate that neem leaves powder is an effective, affordable, and environmentally safe alternative to synthetic chemical pesticides for the protection of stored cowpea. The study recommends wider adoption of neem-based biopesticides to promote sustainable pest management and reduce chemical residue hazards in food systems.