The loss of market values and problem of pests in the stored grains has contributed to the problem of food security in the tropics. Post-harvest losses due to Sitophilus zeamais remain an important constraint to grain storage in Africa. Infestations by maize weevil lead to severe post-harvest damage of staple food crops especially cereal and leguminous grains, on the field and in storage. Damage by the insect pest starts from the field and then the weevils are transported into store where the population multiplies rapidly. In order to reduce this loss, synthetic insecticides have been commonly used during storage of farm products. However, the use of chemical insecticides has resulted in problems such as environmental pollution, health hazards, pest resurgence and increase in costs of application arising from the development of resistance to insecticides. The emerging challenges make it necessary to search for alternative, eco-friendly methods including the use of plant materials as biopesticides for the control of insect pests of storage. This has resulted in successful evaluation of various plant materials against S. zeamais in stored grains. This review is aimed at discussing some of the published literatures on the management of S. zeamais in Nigeria using plant products in a search for alternative methods in order to minimize over usage of chemical insecticides.
