Evaluating the effect of some botanical insecticides on the citrus mealybug Planococcus citri (Risso) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Abstract

Planococcus citri (Risso) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae), is one of the key pests of citrus. The use of chemical pesticides for a long time can cause many problems such as pesticide resistance, as well as having an adverse effect on the environment. The use of chemical pesticides needs to be replaced with non-chemical control methods. The effects of tondexir (pepper extract) and palizin (eucalyptus extract) using five doses (500, 1000, 1500, 2000 and 3000 ppm) and sirinol (garlic extract) with five doses (1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 and 3500 ppm) on citrus mealybug was investigated. The effect of barter (a botanical synergist) using a single dose (1000 ppm) being added to tondexir and palizin at three doses (500, 1000 and 1500 ppm) and barter (1000 ppm) added to sirinol at four doses (1000, 1500, 2000 and 2500) on citrus mealybug was examined. Mortality was recorded after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h post-treatments. Analysis of variance showed that the highest mortality with 3000 ppm doses of tondexir and palizin was 90/60 ± 2/93 and 89/16 ± 1/92% with sirinol (3500 ppm) with 87.11 ± 1.11% mortality, respectively. However, the highest mortality by using barter plus tondexir and palizin (1500 ppm) was 94.44 ± 2.59 and 86.66 ± 3.6% and barter plus sirinol (2500 ppm) was 83.33 ± 3.6% mortality, respectively. There were significant differences between the two experiments (p < 1%).

Keywords: Palizin, sirinol, tondexir, bartar synergist, Planococcus citri