20 Journal of Zoological Research | Volume 02 | Issue 01 | January 2020 Distributed under creative commons license 4.0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.30564/jzr.v2i1.2033 Journal of Zoological Research http://ojs.bilpublishing.com/index.php/jzr ARTICLE Bioeffcacy of Ethanolic Leaves Extract of Azadirachta indica Against Stored Product Insect Pest, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst.) Umar Aliyu * Sa’idu Kamal Bashir Mohammed Abubakar Isma’il Hassan Department of Biological Sciences, Bauchi State University Gadau, P.M.B 65, Gadau, Bauchi State, Nigeria ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history Received: 22 June 2020 Accepted: 9 July 2020 Published Online: 17 July 2020 Tribolium castaneum is a species of beetle in the family tenebrionidae, the darkling beetle. Conventional insecticides used for controling stored product pests are expensive and are proven to have side effects hence the need to have an alternative biopesticides from plants which are proven to be effective against many insects. Azadrachta indica has been used for the control many insects, literature review show no report of its effects on Tribolium castaneum. This study is aimed at evaluating the bioinsecticidal activity of ethanolic leaves extract of Azadirachta indica against stored Tribolium castaneum. Different concentrations (60, 70, 80, 90, and 100%) of ethanolic leaves extract of A. indica was applied on the flter paper and were allowed to dry. Control was done by apply- ing water only on the flter paper. For the determination of the percent- age mortality, 15 adults of the insects was taken into the Petri dishes embedded with the flter paper covered with a lid. The A. indica extracts at different concentrations tested showed signifcant insecticidal activity against T. castaneum. Secondary metabolites screening indicated that the A. indica extract have secondary metabolites that are related to in- secticidal activity. The study has shown that the ethanolic leaves extract A. indica is effective in managing stored product pest. Keywords: Azadrachta indica Tribolium castaneum Tenebrionidae Phytochemical *Corresponding Author: Umar Aliyu, Department of Biological Sciences, Bauchi State University Gadau, P.M.B 65, Gadau, Bauchi State, Nigeria; Email: umaraliyu971@gmail.com 1. Introduction T ribolium castaneum is a species of beetle in the family tenebrionidae, the darkling beetle. It is a worldwide pest of store product, particularly food grain, found in most tropical and subtropical countries in the world. it is a pest of stored maize and a variety of stored product. This insect pest feed on internally on maize grains. It is a pest that affects many stored products and can be a major pest in anthropogenic structures that is used for the storage of grains products such as biscuits industry and four mills [1] . T. castaneum is very common and most dangerous pest that affects stored products worldwide and is usually found in stored grains, warehouses and mills. The pres- ence Triboilium castaneum in maize four and other stored products results in decrease in nutritive value, economic damage and contamination [2] . Tribolium castaneum at- tacks the germ part or embrayo portion of grains and also affects the quality and quantity of grains. This pest has a long interaction with stored products and has been found in interaction with a number of commodities such as