Abstract
Prostephanus truncatus poses a significant threat to global food security, particularly in stored maize and cassava, due to substantial postharvest losses. Botanical insecticides offer a sustainable and environmentally protective option for stored products. This study investigated the chemical composition and insecticidal efficacy of ethanolic extracts from clove seed (Syzygium aromaticum), onion peel (Allium cepa), and bay leaf (Laurus nobilis) against adult P. truncatus infesting stored maize. Ethanolic extracts were prepared from clove seed, onion peels, and bay leaves. Their chemical compositions were characterized using GC-MS. Insecticidal activity was evaluated by assessing adult mortality, seed damage, and F1 progeny emergence in P. truncatus exposed to varying concentrations (5%, 10%, 15%) of the extracts over 96 hours. A synthetic insecticide (DDVP) served as a standard control. All extracts demonstrated concentration and exposure time dependent insecticidal effect. Syzygium aromaticum and Allium cepa showed strong insecticidal effects, achieving 100% mortality at 15% concentration within 72 hours, comparable to the synthetic standard. GC-MS analysis revealed high concentrations of phenolic compounds (e.g., Phenol-2-methoxy-3-(propenyl), Phenol, 2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)-, acetate) and terpenes (Caryophyllene) in S. aromaticum and Catechol and Ethyl alpha-d-glucopyranoside as major constituents in Allium cepa. Laurus nobilis demonstrated lower, but notable, insecticidal activity, with Andrographolide and Eucalyptol as primary compounds. S. aromaticum significantly reduced seed damage and suppressed F1 progeny emergence, proving most effective in protecting stored maize. These findings revealed the potential of these plant-based alternatives for developing sustainable and environmentally friendly strategies to manage stored product pests, thereby reducing reliance on synthetic chemicals and enhancing food security.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Clove and onion extracts each achieved 100% adult pest mortality at 15% within 72 hours.
- Treatment
- Syzygium aromaticum and Allium cepae0
- Outcome
- mortalitye0
- Direction
- strong insecticidal effectse0
- Value
- 100%e0
- Comparator
- synthetic standarde0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Syzygium aromaticum and Allium cepa showed strong insecticidal effects, achieving 100% mortality at 15% concentration within 72 hours, comparable to the synthetic standard.”
t0“Stored Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Clove extract significantly reduced seed damage in stored maize.
- Treatment
- S. aromaticume0
- Outcome
- seed damagee0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Comparator
- synthetic insecticide (DDVP)e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“S. aromaticum significantly reduced seed damage and suppressed F1 progeny emergence, proving most effective in protecting stored maize.”
e1“A synthetic insecticide (DDVP) served as a standard control.”
Claim · model-written summary
Clove extract suppressed F1 progeny emergence of the pest.
- Treatment
- S. aromaticume0
- Outcome
- F1 progeny emergencee0
- Direction
- suppressede0
- Comparator
- synthetic insecticide (DDVP)e1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“S. aromaticum significantly reduced seed damage and suppressed F1 progeny emergence, proving most effective in protecting stored maize.”
e1“A synthetic insecticide (DDVP) served as a standard control.”
Claim · model-written summary
Bay leaf extract had lower but notable insecticidal activity.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Laurus nobilis demonstrated lower, but notable, insecticidal activity, with Andrographolide and Eucalyptol as primary compounds.”
t0“Stored Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
GC-MS found phenolic compounds and terpenes abundant in clove extract.
- Taxon
- S. aromaticum
Syzygium aromaticume0 - Outcome
- phenolic compoundse0
- Direction
- high concentrationse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“GC-MS analysis revealed high concentrations of phenolic compounds (e.g., Phenol-2-methoxy-3-(propenyl), Phenol, 2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)-, acetate) and terpenes (Caryophyllene) in S. aromaticum”
Claim · model-written summary
Catechol and Ethyl alpha-d-glucopyranoside were major constituents of onion extract.
- Taxon
- Allium cepa
Allium cepae0 - Outcome
- Catechol and Ethyl alpha-d-glucopyranosidee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Catechol and Ethyl alpha-d-glucopyranoside as major constituents in Allium cepa.”
Claim · model-written summary
Andrographolide and Eucalyptol were primary compounds in bay leaf extract.
- Taxon
- Laurus nobilis
Laurus nobilise0 - Outcome
- Andrographolide and Eucalyptole0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Laurus nobilis demonstrated lower, but notable, insecticidal activity, with Andrographolide and Eucalyptol as primary compounds.”
The same questions in other papers
Syzygium aromaticum · pest · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
1 in the opposite direction
- negative
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.