Effects of plant extracts on fecundity and fertility of mosquitoes

Abstract

Rearing of Culex quinquefasciatus, Anopheles stephensi and Aedes aegypti larvae in water at concentrations less than the critical concentration for inhibition of adult emergence in 50% of treated larvae (EC50) of the ethyl acetate fractions of Calophyllum inophyllum seed and leaf, Solanum suratense and Samadera indica leaf extracts and the petrol ether fraction of Rhinocanthus nasutus leaf extract, from hatching to emergence significantly decreased the fecundity of the mosquitoes and the hatchability of their eggs. At the highest concentration of 50% EC50 of the extracts, the decrease in the fecundity over the control ranged between 62.4 and 87.4%. Sterility index of the mosquitoes reared in the media with the different extracts at this concentration ranged between 82.8 and 93.3%.