INSECTICIDAL ACTIVITY OF ETHANOL AND AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF MEDICINAL PLANTS AGAINST GREEN PEACH APHID (MYZUS PERSICAE)

The green peach aphid Myzus persicae (Homoptera: Aphididae) is one of the most common and harmful pests. Plant extracts contain many active compounds for defense against pests, and an extensive search for effective and ecological pest control alternatives, particularly those derived from botanicals, is currently underway. This study evaluated the effectiveness of five botanicals from Citrullus colocynthis, Nicotiana tobaccum L., and seeds of Trachyspermum ammi, Azadirachta indica, and Withania coagulans against Myzus persicae. Botanical oils were extracted using ethanol oil extraction (EOE) from powder and extraction through boiling (ETB) of powder and tested for insecticidal efficacy in a laboratory and a greenhouse. The highest mortality (81.7%) was caused by T. ammi, followed by C. colocynthis (76.5%), N. tobaccum (63.0%), A. indica (56.5%), and W. cagulans (50.0%). EOE resulted in a higher mortality at 48-h intervals, and fumigation resulted in the highest mortality at 24-h intervals, with the EOE extracts effectively reducing female aphid fecundity. EOE also was more effective against aphids in cucumber than ETB in greenhouse. Taken together, the EOE extracts were more effective than ETB, and all plant extracts possessed significant insecticidal properties, with potential as botanical insecticides for use in integrated pest management programs.

Automated summary

This study evaluated the effectiveness of five botanical extracts against the green peach aphid and found that Trachyspermum ammi showed the highest insecticidal efficacy. Ethanol oil extraction (EOE) was more effective than boiling extraction (ETB), and all plant extracts possessed significant insecticidal properties.