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Toxic and antifeedant effects of the Wild Indian almond, Sterculia foetida L. seed crude extract on the two important lepidopteran pests- castor semilooper, Achaea janata L. (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) and the Asian armyworm, Spodoptera litura (Fab.) (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) on castor (Ricinus communis L.) plants were studied by leaf disc bioassay method. The acetone extract applied to the leaf disc showed toxicity to the S. litura and feeding deterrency to the A. janata. Insecticidal and feeding deterrent activities of the crude extract acted in a dose dependent manner against the test insects. At a higher dose of 2.5 mg/cm2, 3rd instar larvae of S. litura died within 24h of treatment. The treated larvae were dehydrated and shrunken before death. Lower doses (0.5mg/cm2) also exhibited toxic effects to S. litura but with time delayed process. However, the same compound has produced 100 % feeding deterrent activity to A. janata at 4.0 mg/cm2. At lower doses employed, i.e. 2.0 mg/cm2 a moderate percentage (20 %) of feeding deterrent action was found after 24h treatment. It is interesting to find that the seed extract of S. foetida acted as insecticide to S. litura and as an antifeedant to the semilooper, thus indicating the dual mode of action of the compound against the different pest larvae treated. However, a study on the mechanism of action is presumed to reveal interesting observations on the mode of action of this botanical pesticide.
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