Insecticidal Activity of Essential Oils from Three Plant Seeds against Beetle(Dermestesmaculatus)in Smoke-dried Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Resumen

This study was conducted to determine the insecticidal activity of essential oils extracted from
the seeds of Piper guineense, MonodoramyristicaandAframomummeleguetaagainst adults of the
beetle, Dermestesmaculatus, on smoke-dried catfish, (Clarias gariepinus) during storage.The beetle
was least tolerant to P. guineenseoil which recorded 100% mortality within the first week of the
experiment.M. myristicaoil recorded 100% mortality for beetles on catfish in the second week while
D. maculatus was most tolerant of A. melegueta oil which attained 100% mortality in four weeks. P.
guineense and M. myristica oil extracts were more effective than A. melegueta oil extract, though it
was observed that M. myristica attained 100% mortality in the second week of experiment, the
moisture absorption by smoke dried catfish was higher than that of A. melegueta which obtained
100% mortality in the fourth week of experiment.