VALIDATION OF ABORIGINAL KNOWLEDGE ON PESTICIDAL FLORA IN SOUTHERN AND HIGH PRECIPITATION ZONE OF TAMIL NADU AGAINST Spodoptera litura (F). (NOCTUIDAE: LEPIDOPTERA)
S. THULASI *
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu - 608002, India.
S. ARIVUDAINAMBI
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu - 608002, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
In vitro experiments were conducted against Spodoptera litura to assess the antifeedant and insecticidal potential of aqueous extracts of twenty five plants collected from the southern and high precipitation zone of Tamil Nadu. It was identified that Wrightia tinctoria exhibited maximum potency with the concentration of 5% to give 87.24% antifeedancy accompanied by Cipadessa baccifera (85.51%) and Dodonaea viscosa (81.03%). Insecticidal activity was more pronounced in Glorisa superba and Wrightia tinctoria caused 99.99 and 99.99 % larval mortality at 2% concentration respectively.
Keywords: Artificial diet, Spodoptera litura, antifeedancy, insecticidal activity, aboriginal knowledge