Insecticidal Activity of Leaf Extracts of Calotropis gigantea L, Ageratum conyzoides L, and Vitex negundo L. Against Spodoptera frugiperda J. E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

Calotropis gigantea L. (Asclepiadaceae), Ageratum conyzoides L. (Asteraceae) and Vitex negundo L. (Verbenaceae) are weeds, containing secondary metabolites that have insecticidal properties. The aim of this study was to determine the antifeedant activity of C. gigantea, A. conyzoides and V. negundo extracts against Spodoptera frugiperda larvae, phytotoxicity and analysis of the phytochemical components of these plant extracts. The antifeedant activity of the extracts was tested using the no choice test and the choice test with the concentrations used for each extract, namely 25, 12.5, 6.25, 3.125, 1.56 μgL-1, and control (aquades), while the phytotoxicity used the spray method with a concentration 2.5%. Identification of compound components was carried out at the Integrated Research and Testing Laboratory (LPPT) of Gadjah Mada University. The results showed that the extracts of V. negundo, A. conizoydes and C. gigantea had antifeedant activity against S. frugiperda larvae. V. negundo extract had the highest antifeedant activity compared to other extracts with an antifeedant index value of 98.37. The three types of extracts did not show a phytotoxic effect on plants and contained the same active compounds, namely tannin alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins and terpenoids. Thus, the plants C. gigantea, V. negundo and A. conizoydes have potential as vegetable insecticides against S. frugiperda.