No abstract

Megacopta cribraria, a new pest of concern worldwide, has been studied extensively to understand its binomics and control. Research on efficacy of botanical pesticides for its control, however is lacking. This study focuses on the efficacy of a plant-based extract derived from Aegle marmelos leaves. The ovicidal potential of crude aqueous A. marmelosleaf extract was tested at five concentrations (1.25%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, and 10%), resulting in a maximum of 30% ovicidal action at the 10% concentration which is significantly higher than the control as in the natural condition 100% egg hatching is observed. The extract also exhibited deterrence activity against adult bugs. At all concentrations, significant deterrence was observed in terms of time spent on the treated surface and the frequency of visitation. At the highest concentration, only 2.5% of the total 10 min observation time was spent on the treated surface as compared to the control. The frequency of visitation to the treated surface (14% visit) also declined significantly at 10% concentration clearly exhibiting the deterrent effect of the extract to the bugs. This deterrence activity was further evident by frequent grooming behavior exhibited by the bugs, trying to cleanse away the extract stuck to their body receptors. The study shows that A. marmelos leaves extract has the potential as a biopesticide against M. cribraria and can be researched further in different aspects of its insecticidal potential and can be considered by agriculturists for the pest control program.

Traditional knowledge of treating various ailments by using medicinal plants is an age-old technique and is a common practice among different tribes of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. These areas being malaria endemic, local people have been trying to combat this disease using locally available herbs. Extensive literature survey aids to the fact that, in Assam, 45 different plant species belonging to 30 families are used as traditional medicine against Malaria, and 102 plant species of 62 families are being used in Arunachal Pradesh. Tribes of these states possess a substantial knowledge on the traditional use of the herbal treatment of Malaria which has minimal side effects compared to medicinal treatment. This paper aims at providing a comprehensive listing of the antimalarial plants used by the tribes of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in one platform for the ease of researchers and pharmacologists involved in such studies. The scientific name, family along with the plant part used, like root, leaves, bark/stem, etc for antimalarial studies are presented here.

Presence of reduviid bugs Scipinia horrida (Stål, 1861) and Irantha sp., belonging to the family Reduviidae and subfamily Harpactorinae, is reported here for the first time from Guwahati, Assam. We provide images and comparative comments on these two bugs.

Vector borne infectious diseases affect two third of the world's human population and cause millions of deaths every year. Among these, malaria remains one of the major killer in the Indian sub-continent and transmitted uninterruptedly by many efficient vectors and their sibling species. In North East India (NE), Anopheles minimus has been recognized as an important vector which transmits majority of malaria cases. This study primarily focuses on to recognize the presence and distribution of sibling species of An. minimus in certain endemic areas of NE India. Anopheles mosquitoes collected were identified using available morphological keys. The genomic DNA was extracted from the mosquitoes and used to perform species specific PCR (ss PCR) for molecular identification of major malaria vector An. minimus sibling species. Morphological identification suggested the presence of An. minimus sl in low density in the study area. The specimen of An. minimus subjected to ss PCR confirmed the prevalence of only one sibling species namely An. minimus 'A' in Sialmari and Chandubi areas. Though in low density, but malaria vector An. minimus is still present in certain endemic areas of NE India. The ss PCR assay used presently suggested that An. minimus sibling species A is prevailing in the region. Presently used ss PCR assay was simpler, faster, cheaper and more readily interpretable than the earlier assays. This information could be useful in understanding of current prevalence and distribution of malaria vector An. minimus and its sibling species complex in NE region of India.