PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOUNDS IN SENNA SIAMEA LEAVES POWDERS FOR INSECT PEST CONTROL

Laboratory evaluation of phytochemical compounds and insecticidal/repellent effect of Senna siamea L. leaves was conducted. Ethanol, methanol and distilled water were used as extraction solvents for the conduct of untargeted Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the leave extracts. To mention but few, the ethanol extracts revealed the presence of  2-[2-(2-Ethoxyethoxy) ethoxy]ethyl acetate (C9H18O5); 3-Methylmannoside (C7H14O6); 7H-Chromen-7-one, 8-hydroxy-2,4-dimethyl (C11H10O3); 3,5-Dimethylanisole C9H12O as compound with the highest percentage area.Methanol extracts showed Thiophene, tetrahydro-2-methyl- (C5H10S); 4,6-Di-O-methyl-.alpha.-d-galactose (C8H16O6); 2-Furancarboxaldehyde, 5-[(5-methyl-2-furanyl)methyl]- (C11H10O3); 5,9-Undecadien-2-one, 6,10-dimethyl- (C13H22O) as compound with the highest percentage area. Distilled water extraction revealed Phosphoric acid, dimethyl(4-methoxy-3-t-butylphenyl) ester (C13H21O5P); Vitamin E (C29H50O2); Naphtalene-1,3-dicarbonitrile, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-hydroxy-4-phenyl (C18H14N2O); Lanosterol (C30H50O) as compound with the highest percentage area. Phytochemicals have been used for many years to control insect pest damage in agricultural crops. Pyretre, Nicotine, Rotenone and tobacco have long been used as control agents against insects in some regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Unlike synthetic chemical insecticides that kill both pests and non-target organisms, botanicals pesticides are relatively target specific. They are also biodegradable, environmentally friendly, and can also be used in insecticide resistance management programs. Hence, could serve as good alternatives to chemical insecticides.