SUSCEPTIBILITY OF DIAMONDBACK MOTH, PLUTELLA XYLOSTELLA (LEPIDOPTERA: PLUTELLIDAE) TO SOME EUPHORBIACEAE PLANT EXTRACTS UNDER LABORATORY CONDITIONS
Kiran Shehzadi, Munir Ahmad*, Imran Bodlah and Asim Gulzar
Department of Entomology, Pir Mehr Ali Shah, Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi
ABSTRACT
Diamondback moth, Plutellaxylostella is a serious insect pest of brassica crops. Its larvae skeletonize the leaves of host plants. Considering safer to environment, five plant extracts of Ricinus cummunis, Euphorbia heliscopia, E.hirta, E. milii and E.pulcherrima with a standard insecticide (chlorpyrifos) were tested. Second instar larvae of field collected P. xylostella were used for toxicity tests under laboratory conditions and changes in their biological parameters. Chlorpyrifos showed maximum mortality with LC50 of 1.13 ppm whereas R. cummunis was most effective with LC50 of 28.8 ppm followed by E. heliscopia, E. milii, E. hirta and E. pulcherrima of 32.9, 43.7, 44.6 and 40.5 ppm, respectively after 72 hrs exposure. Potential of Euphorbiaceae plant extracts needs further field testing for effective management tool against this important insect pest as safe and alternate bio-insecticide.
