Natural Lactones and Alkaloids Based Molecules of Insecticides for Suppressing Lepidopteran Predators and Parasitoids of Lac Insect

Abstract

An experiment was carried out to assess the safety of commercial formulation of insecticide having active ingredient of natural lactone 0.6% and natural alkaloid 0.3%, against lac insect, Kerria lacca (Kerr) and bio-efficacy against associated insect predators and parasitoids. Four concentrations of ‘Augusta™’ viz. 0.0045, 0.0009, 0.0014, 0.0018% a.i. were evaluated by dipping of broodlac (functional seed of lac culture) in insecticidal formulations for 5, 10 and 15 min durations. Safety of active components on lac insect was confirmed as no significant differences amongst various treatments and control on survival of settled second instar larvae was observed. Dipping treatment of rangeeni broodlac in 0.0014% concentration for 5 min resulted in population reduction of Eublemma amabilis and Pseudohypatopa pulverea to the tune of 94.12 and 64.7%, respectively. Similar result was recorded with kusmi broodlac derived from Schleichera oleosa. There was 90.48, 92.59 and 56.82% suppression in the population of E. amabilis, P. pulverea and Aprostocetus purpureus, respectively with 0.0014% concentration and 5 min dipping duration. In case of kusmi broodlac derived from another lac host, Ziziphus mauritiana, 90.91% suppression of E. amabilis was recorded with 0.0045% formulation for 5 min dipping duration. Similarly 81.82% suppression was recorded with 0.0018% and 5 min dipping. At higher concentration and more dipping time, no significant reduction in pest population was observed.