BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF CERTAIN BOTANICAL EXTRACTS AS LARVICIDES AGAINST THE YELLOW FEVER MOSQUITO, AEDES AEGYPTI.L

ABSTRACT As a part of a programme on possible utilization of indigenous plant extracts in pest management practices, acetone extracts of eight plant species collected in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, were tested for their larvicidal activity against the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti L. The buds of Tail Pepper, Piper cubeba L, Capers Capparis spinosa L and Indian Black Berry, Syzygium cumini L. the florals of Indian Oleander, Nerium indicum (Mill.), Indian Cork tree, Millingtonia hortensis L. and Royal Poinciana, Delonix regia L., leaves of Wood Apple, Limonia acidissima L. and Physic Nut, Jatropha curcas L were collected locally, shade dried and extracted in the soxhelet apparatus. Six of the 8 plants studied exhibited toxicity against the 3rd instar larvae. The extracts of D. regia and L. acidissima were most active and showed toxicity up to 100 %. The dry bud extractions of S. cumini and J. curcas also showed significant larval mortality. Acetone extract of P. cubeba and C. spinosa were less active, and needed higher concentrations to obtain 50% toxicity. Hence, these active plant extracts may be used in control of the A. aegypti causing dengue fever and many other diseases.