LAUSR

Abstract This study evaluated the chemical composition and toxicity of fixed oils obtained from Jatropha curcas seeds pre-treated with different methods (cooking, roasting and raw) against maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky. Palmitic acid was the predominant compound, being 86.60, 69.98 and 54.04%, in oil obtained from cooked, raw and roasted seeds, respectively. Glycerol 1-palmitate was identified in all oil samples (13.40. 16.43 and 27.06% for the oil extracted from cooked, raw and roasted seeds, respectively). Other compounds identified in oils obtained from raw seeds and roasted seeds were palmitoleic acid (2.36 and 2.16%, respectively), linoleic acid (3.13 and 5.80%, respectively) and 9 Octadecenal, (Z)- (8.10 and 10.94%, respectively). At the exposure of the weevils to 200 μl/L air for 24 h, weevil mortality observed in oil obtained from roasted seeds (84.68%) was significantly (p