Ilesanmi, T.O.Awolola, G.V.Uddin II, R.O.Suleiman, MustaphaLawal, Mujidat Temidayo2023-06-222023-06-222020-11https://uilspace.unilorin.edu.ng/handle/20.500.12484/11248Synthetic pesticides usage to prevent cowpea weevils have been reported to be harmful, sometimes leading to the untimely demise of consumers by ingestion of contaminated grains. To save lives, efforts are intensely made to seek after safer alternatives one in particular, is the use of plant based biopesticides. A study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of N-hexane and ethanol extracts of both sesame leaf and seed and; Trichilia heudelotii leaf to control Callosobruchus maculatus infesting grains of cowpea. Methods employed involved dressing cowpea seeds (100 g) with the botanical extracts at 0 (control), 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 ml respectively. Next, six pairs of newly emerged adult C. maculatus were introduced into glass vials containing treated seeds in three replicates and observation was conducted for; adult mortality; emergence of larvae, pupae, and new adults of the insect; weight loss of cowpea grains and; qualitative phytochemical screening. Results presented revealed that the N-hexane and ethanol extracts of both sesame and T. heudelotii were significantly (p < 0.05) effective mostly at 1.5 ml in controlling the weevil when compared to the control. Phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of some useful bioactive compounds in the extracts. Observation on weight loss of cowpea revealed that all the various treatment especially at 1.5 ml sustained a significant (p < 0.05) weight compared to the control (40.00±6.67) which was lower. A plausible usage of homemade biopesticide using sesame and T. heudelotii could be suggested as additives to cowpea grains in the control of C. maculatusenBiopesticides; pest control; Callosobruchus maculatus; cowpea grains; plant extracts; phytochemicalArticle