International Journal of Agricultural Science Research Vol. 2(6), pp. 206-213, June 2013 ISSN 2327-3321 ©2013 Academe Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of plant chemicals on oviposition deterrent and ovicidal activities against female moth, Spodoptera litura (Fab.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

A. Jeyasankar¹*, K. Elumalai², N. Raja³ and S. Ignacimuthu⁴

¹Department of Zoology, Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Musuri - 621 211, Tamilnadu, India.

²Unit of Entomotoxicity, Department of Advanced Zoology and Biotechnology, Govt. Arts College Nandanam, Chennai - 600 035, Tamil Nadu, India.

³Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural and Computational Sciences, Post Box 196, University of Gondar, Ethiopia.

⁴Entomology Research Insitutue, Loyola College, Chennai-600 034, Tamilnadu, India.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: sankar.alagarmalai@gmail.com. Tel: +91 9894214939.

Accepted 21 May, 2013

Abstract

Oviposition deterrent and ovicidal activity of crude extracts, fractions and compounds A and B from the leaves of Syzigium lineare Wall., were tested against armyworm Spodoptera litura Fab. The concentration tested for crude extract was 0.625, 1.25, 2.50 and 5.0%; fractions of 0.025, 0.05, 0.075 and 0.1%; and compounds A and B of 25, 50, 75 and 100 ppm, respectively. Among the crude extracts tested, the maximum oviposition deterrent and ovicidal activity were observed in ethyl acetate extract at 5% concentration. In fractionation, maximum oviposition deterrent was found in fraction 6 and ovicidal activity was the highest in fraction 3. Both activities were statistically significant by LSD “(p<0.05) compared” to positive and negative control. Compounds A and B were tested for oviposition deterrent and ovicidal activities of S. litura. Highest oviposition deterrent was noticed in compound A and significant ovicidal activity was found in compound B compared to the control. Based on IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR data, compound A was 7-hydroxy-undec-1en-3-one and compound B was 3-(3-hydroxy-hexyl)-tetrahydro-pyran-4-one. The oviposition deterrent and ovicidal activity of S. lineare reported against S. litura was the first of its kind and it can be useful for the development of novel botanical pesticides in future after field confirmation.

Key words: Oviposition deterrent, ovicidal, Syzigium lineare, Spodoptera litura, plant extracts.