Insecticidal Effect of the Fruit Extract Bitter Melon (Citrullus colocynthis) on Locust Chrotogonus trachypterus (Orth: Pyrgomorphidae)

Abstract

Chrotogonus trachypterus Blanchard is an active grasshopper on farms in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran, in high populations and is one of the most important pests of vegetables, alfalfa, early growth stages of Gramineae and many crops. Chemical pesticides have harmful effects on the environment and human health; therefore, the use of natural insecticides derived from plants play significant role in pest management because of lower costs, lack of environmental pollution and protection of human health. In this study, lethal effect of Citrullus colocynthis fruit extract was evaluated on the Ch. trachypterus grasshopper under controlled laboratory conditions (at a temperature of 24±2°C, relative humidity of 75±5%, and photoperiod of 16: 8) in a completely randomized design with three replications. The plant was collected from its natural habitat around the city of Iranshahr, Iran, and then dried in the shade. The extraction was performed using methanol. The results obtained from experiments showed significant increase in mortality of tested insects after 24 hours with increasing concentrations of plant extracts. The effect of this extract with concentrations of 10, 20, 25, 35 and 40 milligrams per milliliter were tested on adult Ch. trachypterus grasshoppers. The highest mortality rate (87.50%) was found at a concentration of 40 milligrams per milliliter and the lowest mortality rate (23.33%) was observed at concentrations of 10 milligrams per milliliter. The mortality rate elevated with increasing concentration in all treatments. The LC 50 value for C. colocynthis plant on adult grasshopper was calculated 18.58 milligrams per milliliter.

Toxicity Effects and Biochemical Changes of Insecticide Alternatives on Cowpea Aphid, (Aphis craccivora) (Homoptera: Aphididae)

“…Nowadays, there are interesting in the use of different natural botanical pesticides as an alternative to chemical pesticides and Plant extracts provide suitable source of natural active compounds such as different terpenoids, alkaloids, cucurbitacin, flavonoids, glycosides that have been used as toxic materials against different economic insect, which affect crop plants (Koul and Walia, 2009). Also, the secondary metabolites which were produced by the plants are very important for the plant survival, and to protect the plant from different environmental changes, moreover, these compounds have fixed role in the defense of the plant against herbivorous insects and may act as nutritional deterrent, repellent or toxic compounds (Mollashahi et al, 2017). Meanwhile, botanical insecticides could be one of the alternatives to chemical synthetic insecticides due to many physical and chemical features such as minimal effect on different natural enemies, maybe nontoxic to another vertebrate, no phytotoxicity and highly degradable in the environment (Isman, 1997).…”

“…Moreover, using botanical insecticides origin play significant role in insect control because lack of environmental pollution as well as the protection of human health (Mollashahi et al, 2017). Herbivores insects feeds on different plants may ingest some proteins with toxic effects (Sanchis and Bourguet, 2008).…”

Bioactive Substances of Cydonia oblonga Fruit : Insecticidal Effect of Tannins on Tribuliumm confusum

“…The LC 50 value found is significantly lower in comparison to that of the C. colocynthis plant tested on adult grasshopper, which was calculated to be 18.58 milligrams per ml (Mollashahi et al, 2017).…”

“…Numerous research works have been conducted on the phenolic compounds derived from this plant since it might have beneficial effects as antimicrobial and insecticidal (Mollashahi et al, 2017;Rampadarath et al, 2014).…”

Taxonomic and morphological studies on the genus Chrotogonus Serville, 1838 (Pyrgomorphidae: Orthoptera) from Pakistan, with reference to their habitats

“…This species is found in Iran, India, Egypt, Afghanistan, and Pakistan 24,[30][31][32][33] . Recently, it has reported from Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan provinces of Pakistan.…”