Laboratory and field evaluations of some botanical pesticides against the cedar leaf moth, Acleris undulana

Abstract

The cedar leaf moth (CLM), Acleris undulana Walsingham, has recently become an important pest in the cedar forests in southwestern Turkey. Control has focussed on the use of synthetic chemical pesticides, with little research having been conducted on alternative control methods. In this study, four botanical pesticides (two commercial neem products, Neemazal-T/S Ò and Greeneem Ò oil, and two hot water plant extracts, Origanum onites L. and Pimpinella anisum L.) were evaluated for their effects against young (first-second) and older (third-fifth) instar larvae of CLM under laboratory and field conditions. The results of larval dip bioassay in the laboratory showed that all the botanical pesticides tested had significant larvicidal activity against both young and older instars of CLM compared to the water-treated control. Of the botanical pesticides tested, Neemazal was the most larvicidal botanical, causing mortalities ranging from 84 to 100%, the least effective was the P. anisum extract, but at high concentrations this extract still caused significant mortality. Results from field trials also revealed that the botanical pesticides had larvicidal activity against CLM. Neemazal was the most larvicidal botanical, followed by Greeneem oil then by O. onites and finally by P. anisum. Our overall results suggest that all the botanical pesticides tested are promising as larvicides against CLM, and may provide an alternative control method that is more compatible with Integrated Pest Management programs than the use of synthetic chemical pesticides.

Efficacy of neem oil against thrips (Thysanoptera) on mango panicles and its compatibility with mango pollinators

“…Insecticidal and environmental compatibility of neem extract attracts worldwide attention because of its effectiveness against over 100 species of insects, mites and nematodes in the fields (Abdel-Shafy and Zayed 2002). Green neem oil and Neemazal showed high larvicidal activity while controlling cedar leaf moth (CLM), Acleris undulana (Erler et al 2010). Study conducted by Pavela et al (2009) indicated that NeemAzal T/S (containing 1% Azadirachtin A) effectively reduced the number of damaged oil seed rape pods caused by Dasineura brassicae Winn.…”

Population dynamics, phenology, and overwintering of Bactrocera dorsalis (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Hubei Province, China

“…They may provide an effective, economically sound and environmentally sound control of the pest by preventing overuse of pesticides and associated negative effects on beneficial arthropods (Desneux et al 2006a(Desneux et al , b, 2007Han et al 2010a, b), although curative treatments with selective insecticides (i.e., harmless to natural enemies, Croft 1990;Desneux et al 2005) or botanical pesticides (Isman 2000;Erler et al 2010;Koy et al 2010;Roy et al 2010) may be applied when dealing with B. dorsalis outbreak levels.…”

Effects of Fastac 50 EC on bumble bee Bombus terrestris L. respiration: DGE disappearance does not lead to increasing water loss

“…Following dipping, each bee was air-dried on filter paper. This dipping method is widely used in various insect toxicology experiments with differing solvents or submergence times (5 s to 1 min) by both insect larvae (Isayama et al, 2005;Cetin et al, 2006;Erler et al, 2010) and adults (Sibul et al, 2004;Azimi et al, 2009). In the case of bumble bees, the dipping method has been used as an alternative method in contact tests (van der Steen, 2001).…”