BIO-EFFICIENCY OF CRUDE EXTRACTS OF ALGERIAN PISTACIA LENTISCUS (L) AGAINST SITOPHILUS GRANARIUS (L.) (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE)

Stored grain insects have revealed resistance to synthetic insecticides, a fact that has encouraged the use of medicinal plants for integrated pest control. Pistacia lentiscus is a plant from the Anacardiaceae family, very widespread in the Mediterranean region, and one of the most important medicinal plants in Algeria. This present study was undertaken to evaluate the potential of extracts of P. lentiscus from Algeria as sources of total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents, as well as the efficiency of the insecticidal effect of methanol extracts (MeOH) extracted from various parts of P. lentiscus against Sitophilus granarius (L.), by using ingestion and contact toxicity methods. Leaves extracts of P. lentiscus had depicted the highest concentration of TPC and of TFC (384.05 ± 8.21mg GAE/g; 165.60 ± 0,00 mg of RU/g of dry weight DW.), respectively. Furthermore, leaves extracts of P. lentiscus have demonstrated the greatest insecticidal result compared to other parts of the plant which is explained by the causing the mortality of adult S. grinarius with a value of 98.82 % and LC50 of 83.35 µg/L via a significant reduction in the number of individuals in a dose-dependent. P. lentiscus extracts have the potential to be an effective natural agent against stored-product insects and could be an alternative environmentally friendly bio-insecticide.