Potential of Zygophyllum album L. to control Tuta absoluta in Southeastern Algeria

Abstract

On the valorization of spontaneous plants to contribute to organic agriculture, a biological study was undertaken by using the aqueous extract of Zygophyllum album (family of Zygophyllaceae), collected from Southeastern Algeria. Three levels of treatment (100%, 50%, and 25%) diluted from the extracted solution of this plant were tested on larvae (IN = 30) and adults (IN = 30) of tomato borer Tuta absoluta. This work reveals larval mortality rates of 7.5 ± 0.58% after 24 h, 12.50 ± 2.38% after 48 h, 30 ± 4.08% after 72 h, 40 ± 4.08% after 96 h, and 42.5 ± 6.45% after 120 h, although, with 50% of the crude extract, values of 20 ± 5.77%, 40 ± 4.08%, 50 ± 4.08%, 65 ± 5.77%, and 70 ± 4.58% were recorded at the same test durations, respectively. When a 25% dose of this solution was used, a mortality rate of 35 ± 8.16% was noted after 24 h and exceeds double (77.5 ± 8.66%) in 120 h. These data show that the toxicity of Z. album aqueous extract against T. absoluta increases with time and from the highest dose to the smallest one. Females of T. absoluta lay only 10 ± 3.54 to 19 ± 3.61 eggs/leaflet on treated tomato leaves, but a double amount was recorded on the control (37.25 ± 13.15 eggs/leaflet). This observation shows a repulsive effect of Z. album against T. absoluta females.