Effect of Aqueous Extracts of Different Plants on Life Cycle and Population Build up Parameters of House Fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae)

Abstract

Abstract The present study examined the use of plant extracts, viz., ginger ( Zingiber officinale), turmeric (Curcuma longa), leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), neem (Azadirachta indica), holy basil (Ocimum sanctum), jatropha (Jatropha podagrica) and turmeric (Curcuma longa) as oviposition stimulant/deterrent and larval growth promoter/inhibitor on the house fly (Musca domestica L.). The plant chemicals concentration was mixed in a larval media prepared by mixing wheat bran, dried milk and brewer’s yeast. C. longa acted as promoter for house fly larval growth with minimum larval duration ( 4.78 ± 0.19 days). N. tabacum proved lethal for housefly development with longest larval and pupal duration ( 9.67 ± 0.42 days, 6 ± 0.23 days), longest development time ( 15.56 ± 0.61 days), least larval survival ( 10.44 ± 0.41), and lowest number of eggs ( 18.67 ± 0.73), least biotic potential (0.29) and lowest intrinsic rate of increase (0.13). Pupal duration in other treatments ranged between 3 to 4.78 days respectively. Among plant chemicals, where more number of larvae had completed their development, survival was least (53.56%) in O. sanctum followed up to 76.44 % in Z. officinale. Highest pupal survival (46.44 and 46.78%) was recorded in J. podagrica and Z. officinale which was significantly higher from other treatments while lowest was recorded in ( 5.28 ± 0.42 and 5.44 ± 0.4) A. indica and N. tabacum . Highest number of eggs per female ( 76.89 ± 2.84 and 71.44 ± 3.21 ) were also deposited in the treatments where larval and pupal survival was on the higher side, i.e., J. podagrica and Z. officinale respectively. Lowest number of eggs were recorded in the A. indica and N. tabacum ( 26 ± 0.91 and 18.67 ± 0.73) that were already shown to be much toxic to all stages then other treatments. M. domestica had maximum ratio of females ( 1.02:1 ) in O. sanctum only. A significant high biotic potential (0.61) was recorded in C. longa. Intrinsic rate of increase was significantly ( 0.32) higher in J. podagrica as compared to all other treatments . Results showed that plant extracts greatly affect life parameters of housefly and can be used in vector management programs to control housefly borne diseases in place of conventional insecticides. Keywords: Plant extracts, Zingiber officinale, Curcuma longa, Nicotiana tabacum, Azadirachta indica, Ocimum sanctum, Jatropha podagrica, Musca domestica