Evaluation of botanical extracts on the repellency property against the pink mealy bug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (green) in mulberry

Mulberry, Morus alba L., the only host plant of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.,) is attacked by about 300 species of insect pests. Among them, pink mealy bug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus Green is the most serious causing more than 35 per cent yield loss besides impairing nutritional quality of mulberry leaves. The management of pink mealy bug by using plant products is gaining attention due to proven specificity, biodegradability, low toxicity to non target organisms and low residual toxicity in the mulberry ecosystem. A preliminary attempt has been made to manage the mealy bug on mulberry by using plant extracts of natural pesticide origin. The seed kernel and leaf extracts of Azadirachta indica, Pongamia pinnata, Madhuca longifolia and only leaf extracts of Lantana camara, Adathoda vasica were directly used as a foliar spray on M-5 mulberry saplings. Neem seed kernel extract @ 4 per cent exhibited maximum repellence property against mealy bug after 24 (96.53%) and 48 (97.57%) hours of spray. However, Leaf extract of Lantana camera exhibited least repellency (24.46 and 26.20%) property than other leaf extracts experimented. Increase in repellency over control after 24 hours of treatment found highest in Neem seed kernel extract @ 4 per cent (94.68%), followed by Neem seed kernel extract @ 2 per cent (94.40%), Pongamia seed kernel extract@ 4per cent (93.94%) and least was recorded in Lantana leaf extract@ 8 per cent (79.01%) and found significant. The trend was same even after 48 hours of treatment.