LARVICIDAL AND REPELLENT ACTIVITY OF LAGENARIA SICERARIA (CUCURBITACEAE) EXTRACTS AGAINST THE HOUSE FLY: MUSCA DOMESTICA (DIPTERA: MUSCIDAE)

Document Type : Original Article

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Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

The present study performed at evaluating the potency of methanol, acetone, chloroform and petroleum ether extracts of Lagenaria siceraria leaves against the 3rd instar larvae of the housefly, Musca domestica (Diptera: Muscidae) which consider as a diseases vector. The repellent efficacy of the prepared plant extracts against M. domestica adults was examined. All plant extracts showed a larvicidal activity against the 3rd instar larvae of M. domestica larvae; however, the petroleum ether extract was found that to be the more effective than chloroform, acetone and methanol extracts. The LC50 values of methanol, acetone, chloroform and petroleum ether extracts recorded 468.5, 432.1, 433.8 and 101.4ppm; respectively. As well, at the LC50 values of the tested extracts exhibited repellent activity against M. domestica adults. The effective plant extract that exhibited high antifeedant or repellency action was petroleum ether extract as compared to chloroform, acetone and methanol extracts. These results demonstrated that methanol, acetone, chloroform and petroleum ether extracts of L. siceraria leaves can be used as pest control even in their crude form. These results may provide an opportunity to develop alternatives to costly organic pesticides with some available cheap plants which are usually safe to the environment and to living organisms

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