AUTHOR(S)
Sharada Devi, J. N1., Soumya Kallekkattil2, and Melally G. Venkatesha3*,

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT  

Diaphania indica (Saunders),commonly known as the pumpkin caterpillar, is a destructive pest ofcucurbitaceous vegetables, particularly gherkin, leading to substantial yieldand export losses. This study evaluated the insecticidal efficacy of ethanolicleaf extracts from ten locally available plant species against D. indicaunder laboratory conditions. Extracts were tested at 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5%concentrations using the leaf dip bioassay method, with larval mortality,pupation, and adult emergence recorded over 72 hours. The 7.5% ethanolicextracts of Ruta graveolens and Azadirachta indica achieved 100%larval mortality, zero pupation, and complete suppression of adult emergence,demonstrating the highest efficacy. Other botanicals such as Ocimum sanctum,Aegle marmelos, and Vitex negundo also showed significantlarvicidal activity. The findings highlight the potential of botanicalinsecticides as sustainable alternatives to synthetic chemicals in theintegrated pest management (IPM) of D. indica, offering environmentallysafe, locally available, and cost-effective pest control strategies forcucurbit cultivation

Keywords:  botanical insecticides, larval mortality,cucurbit pests, leaf dip bioassay, gherkin, sustainable pest management

DOI
https://doi.org/10.57182/jbiopestic.19.1.14-20

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