Ageratum conyzoides (Asteraceae) is an annual plant with insecticidal activity against some insect pests. The present study was designed to evaluate the insecticidal activity of aqueous extracts (infusion and maceration) of A. conyzoides against the pest grasshopper Zonocerus variegatus (Orthoptera, Pyrgomorphidae). Concentrations of 0, 10, 30, 100 & 300 µg/ml were prepared and administrated through injection to grasshoppers. Mortality rate was recorded for adult grasshoppers each day until the 9th day of treatment. Results revealed a significant increase (p < 0.05) of mortality rate with increasing concentrations of the two plant extracts. Plant extracts at 300 µg/ml induced 100.00 ± 0.00 percent mortality of adults Z. variegatus after 4 and 5 days for A. conyzoides infusion and maceration respectively. No mortality was registered after treatment with 0 & 10 µg/ml of the two plant extracts. Male mortality rate tended to be higher than that of female at the same concentration. Also, infusion tended to significantly increase (p < 0.05) mortality rate than maceration at the same concentration. Phytochemicals screening have shown that the presence of saponins, tannins, triterpenoids and alkaloids in the A. conyzoides aqueous extracts may be responsible for the insecticidal activity of this plant. These phytochemicals may therefore be exploited and serve as suitable alternatives to synthetic insecticides against the grasshopper Z. variegatus.
Cytogenotoxic effects of aqueous extracts of Rauvolfia vomitoria Afzel (Apocynaceae) stem bark were assessed on male germ line cells of the grasshopper Zonocerus variegatus. Concentrations of 0, 10, 15 and 20 µg/ml of infused and macerated aqueous extracts of R. vomitoria were prepared and administered through injection to the grasshoppers. Grasshoppers were dissected after 72 hours of incubation and the different parameters were then evaluated. Results revealed significant (p < 0.05) reduction of the length and the width of testis follicles with increasing concentrations of the two aqueous plant extracts. Meiosis analysis revealed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in meiotic abnormalities with increasing concentrations of the two aqueous plant extracts. Infused and macerated aqueous extracts of R. vomitoria at different concentrations did not modify the karyotype of Z. variegatus. Cyclophosphamide (CP) induced chromosomes aberrations and significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the mean chromosomes complement number which ranged from 2n= 19.00 ± 0.00 (controlled individuals) to 2n= 17.60 ± 1.82 (CP treated individuals). These observations indicate that infused and macerated aqueous extracts of R. vomitoria stem bark could induced cytogenotoxicity on the germ line cells of the grasshopper Z. variegatus. These results also confirm the utilization of CP as positive control in chromosomes aberration assays on grasshoppers.
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