Abstract:
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds were treated with essential oils of C. citratus,C. nardus, C. zeylanicum, M. minutum and a standard pesticide
(pirimiphos methyl) as fumigant toxicants. At the end of the four month storage period, physical and chemical properties of cowpea from each
storage system were analyzed. Variation of physicochemical properties among treated storage systems was insignificant with one exception;
20±5% of moisture was lost in samples treated with essential oils due to absorption of treated oil. Higher protein, fat and dietary fiber contents
were reported from essential oil-treated samples compared to those treated with pirimiphos methyl. With lower toxicity to humans and other
mammals and less or no significant variation in physicochemical properties, the selected essential oils can be used as fumigant toxicants against
Callosobruchus maculatus (F.).