The pulse beetle is a primary pest of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.), causing heavy losses during storage. Conventional control of pulse beetle with insecticides has led to various challenges. This study sought safer alternatives by exploring the efficacy of hexane extracts derived from seeds of Azadirachta indica and Trachyspermum ammi, Curcuma longa rhizomes, Allium sativum bulbs, Citrullus colocynthis fruits, and Caralluma tuberculata stems against pulse beetle. Each plant extract was tested at six concentrations of 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5%, and 3.0% w/v, under the constant laboratory conditions of the Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The hexane extracts prepared from A. sativum and C. longa at 3% concentration exhibited significant efficacy, resulting in mortality rates of 99.20% and 94.40% of adult beetles, respectively. Furthermore, mung bean grains treated with the A. sativum extracts at the maximum concentration (3%) demonstrated minimum egg deposition (2.20 per grains^-20), prolonged time to adult emergence (25.10 days), minimum progeny emergence (33.40), lowest infestation (5.47%), minimum weight loss (4.39%), and shortest adult life span (8.70 days). The hexane plant extracts prepared from A. sativum and C. longa powders at higher concentrations (2.5% and 3.0%) can benefit the safer management of pulse beetles.

Keywords: Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.), hexane plant extract, Callosobruchus analis, mortality, sublethal effects

Key findings: The hexane plant extract demonstrated insecticidal properties and caused significant mortality of beetle adults in mung bean (Vigna radiata L.). The hexane plant extracts also affected significantly the biology and survival of beetles. Among the six-tested plant extracts, the hexane extracts of A. sativum and C. longa proved the most effective, whereas C. tuberculata extracts were found least effective.