Withania somnifera acts as a potential insect growth regulator in the polyphagous pest, Pericallia ricini
Journal Title: Journal of Plant Protection Research - Year 2017, Vol 57, Issue 4
Abstract
Both seed and root extracts of the medicinal plant, Ashwagandha, Withania somnifera exhibit insect growth regulatory activity against the polyphagous pest, Pericallia ricini. Topical administration of W. somnifera seed and root extracts to last instar larvae of P. ricini disrupted moulting and metamorphosis, leading to a number of developmental abnormalities such as delay in larval-pupal and pupal-adult ecdysis, formation of larval-pupal, pupal-adult and larval-pupal-adult mosaics/chimeras, ecdysial failure, suppression of pupation and adult emergence and formation of abnormal pupae and adultoids. The treatment with seed extracts was more severe than that of root extracts as it completely suppressed the pupation and adult emergence. The results clearly suggest that the medicinal plant, W. somnifera acts as a potential insect growth regulatory (IGR) disrupting the moulting and metamorphosis as a consequence of interference with the endocrine system.
Authors and Affiliations
Sandeep Kumar Gaur, Krishna Kumar
An evaluation of the effect of botanical insecticide, palizin in comparison with chemical insecticide, imidacloprid on the black citrus aphid, Toxoptera aurantii Boyer de Fonscolombe and its natural enemy, Aphidius colemani Viereck
The black citrus aphid, Toxoptera aurantii Boyer de Fonscolombe (Hemiptera: Aphididae), an important pest of citrus species, feeds by sucking sap from plant leaves. It causes some leaf distortion and malformation of grow...
Identification of viruses infecting cucurbits and determination of genetic diversity of Cucumber mosaic virus in Lorestan province, Iran
Various viral pathogens infect Cucurbitaceae and cause economic losses. The aim of the present study was to detect plant viral pathogens including Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV),...
Eyespot resistance of winter wheat breeding lines evaluated with marker-assisted selection and inoculation tests at the seedling and adult plant stages
Eyespot is one of the most important fungal diseases of the stem base of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The presented study clearly demonstrated that the Pch1 gene was the main effective source for reducing the eyespot di...
Components of quantitative resistance in barley plants to Fusarium head blight infection determined using three in vitro assays
Quantitative resistance in barley to four Fusarium head blight (FHB) species was investigated in vitro. Nine components involved in three assays (detached leaf, modified Petri dish and seedling tests) were compared on tw...
The first record of a potential pest Orientus ishidae (Matsumura, 1902) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in Poland
This study provides the first data on the occurrence of the mosaic leafhopper Orientus ishidae (Matsumura, 1902) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in Poland. This species is native to Southeast Asia, adventive in Europe and feed...