Toxicity and repellency of extracts from pilot-plant-scale isolation of pea flour against stored-product insects

Protein-rich pea flour is toxic and repellent to stored-product insects. The active compounds are a 37 amino acid peptide and saponins. A pilot-plant-scale extraction of the active compounds was carried out on 500 kg of protein-rich pea flour. The extract was toxic to the adults of Sitophilus oryzae (rice weevil) and Cryptolestes ferrugineus (rusty grain beetle) but not Tribolium castaneum (red flour beetle). The extract was repellent to all three insects.