Behavior of the cost of protection for the conservation of corn seed, through natural alternatives

Abstract

In the control and elimination of insect plague, as harmful as Sitophilus oryzae, vegetable powders of leaves and essential oils were used, produced from three botanical species of the Myrtaceae family; its application allowed to verify the effectiveness of these treatments in the control of this insectile species that affects the corn seed stored by local producers. During the application of these natural alternatives, the behavior of the insect was observed; parameters such as mortality, emergence and loss of weight of the grain were measured, which made it possible to establish Callistemon citrinus (Curtis) Skeels as the most promising species. The analysis of legislative documents and research carried out by other authors made it possible to calculate the production cost of vegetable powders and essential oils and on this basis, a price was proposed for the possible commercialization of the products. In this way, it was valued the increase generated by the use of these alternatives in the cost of the stored seed, which represents its protection cost. The objective of the research was to analyze the behavior of the protection cost for the conservation of stored corn seed, from natural alternatives in the local agro-livestock production. The comparison of the cost of protection showed the most economical alternative for the local producer and this cost was proposed as the fourth complementary parameter to be taken into account in the decision to use one alternative or another for the protection of stored corn seed.