Medicinal plants have the ability to synthesize a wide variety of chemical compounds that are used to perform important biological functions and to defend against attack from predators such as insects, fungi, and herbivorous mammals. Integrated pest management (IPM) has been the most recent method of pest control. It is a combination of various methods being utilized in management of insect pests without disruption of the environment. Now-a-days, chemists and entomologists together are trying different new tools compatible with IPM concepts without affecting the ecosystem. These tools include the use of plant extracts, biopesticides, microbial control, pheromones, and genetic manipulation. Calotropis procera belonging to family Asclepiadaceae, commonly known as Madar or Aak, is a shrub widely distributed as a medicinal weed throughout India. The plant is erect, branched, and perennial with milky latex. A large quantity of latex can be easily collected from its green parts. Local people use it successfully to combat some cutaneous fungal infections. The abundance of latex (containing alkaloids) in the green parts of the plant reinforces the idea to investigate different extractives of leaves of C. procera for their larvicidal activities against important defoliator Plecoptera reflexa (lepidoptera: noctuidae) of Shisham. The 3rd instar larvae of P. reflexa were exposed to a wide range of concentrations (0.0625 to 2.00%) of LC50 value of each sample and control. After repeated experiments at laboratory level a biopesticide was developed against major defoliator of shisham. Sustained experiments in laboratory demonstrated efficacy against defoliator of shisham. The phytochemical analysis of these extracts was carried out and showed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, proteins, terpenoids, sterols and flavonoids. The above mentioned biopesticide will facilitate the farmers to improve their economic condition through increased production and high economic gain. It is a safe and economic alternative to the synthetic insecticides.

Herbal biopesticide from medicinal plant for shisham defoliator

248th National Meeting (2014)

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