Pesticidal properties of Anamirta cocculus, Cardiospermum halicacabum, Cocculus laurifolius and Strychnos nux-vomica against Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

Spodoptera litura, commonly known as taro caterpillar, is a major pest of several vegetables and economically important crops. The pest is reported to reduce the yield of the affected crop up to 10-30%. Hence, controlling this pest is one of the very crucial steps in increasing crop yield. The extensive use of broad-spectrum chemical pesticides to control S. litura has many negative impacts. The present study is an attempt to evaluate the efficacy of certain plants against S. litura. In this study, we investigated the anti-insect properties of leaf and bark extracts of Anamirta cocculus, Cardiospermum halicacabum, Cocculus laurifolius and Strychnos nux-vomica. All four plant extracts showed significant anti-feedant activity compared to control at different concentrations. The leaf extracts showed the activity in the order S. nux-vomica >C. halicacabum >C. laurifolius >A. cocculus at the exposure of maximum concentration. Anti-feedant activity of the bark extract was in the order C. laurifolius >S. nux-vomica >C. halicacabum. The leaf extracts of three plants A. cocculus, C. halicacabum and S. nux-vomica showed significant repellent activity. The repellent activity of the bark extracts was in the order, C. laurifolius > C. halicacabum >S. nux-vomica >A. cocculus. The GC-MS analysis of these plant extracts have shown many compounds with known anti-insect properties and specific molecule-based bio-assays might be required to ascertain the distinctive effects of these compounds.