Evaluation of Garlic (Allium sativum) Derivatives for Suppressing Oviposition of Callosobruchus chinensis (L.) in Stored Chickpea Seeds

Chickpea, Cicer arietinum L., is a major pulse crop in India. During storage, the pulse beetle Callosobruchus chinensis L. inflicts significant quantitative and qualitative seed losses. With rising safety concerns over synthetic insecticides, botanical alternatives have gained prominence. This study evaluated the efficacy of various garlic (Allium sativum L.) products against C. chinensis oviposition on stored chickpea seeds at CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. Garlic oil (1.5%) completely inhibited egg laying for up to 6 months. Methanol extract (3%) and oil (0.5%) significantly reduced egg laying for 45 days, though not completely whereas garlic powders and other extracts hexane, chloroform and acetone failed to prevent oviposition beyond initial days. It may be concluded that garlic oil (especially at 1.5%) is a potent, long-lasting, and eco-friendly alternative to synthetic insecticides for protecting stored chickpea seeds from egg laying of C. chinensis. It showed strong anti-oviposition properties, making it a promising biopesticide for storage pest management.