Sustainable control of pomegranate carob moth with some biorationals

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of three types of plant extracts [Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus camaldulensis (Family: Myrtaceae), Oleander, Nerium oleander (Family: Apocynaceae) and Neem, Azadirachta indica (Family: Meliaceae)], with four concentrations as (0, 5, 10, and 15%) for each and the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae with three different concentrations (1×103, 1×105 and 1×106 spore /ml of water) against carob moth larvae. Results indicated that both plant extracts and the fungus (Metarhizium anisopliae) regarding the plant species, extract concentrations and exposure duration, have a high toxicity on the 3rd and 5th instar larvae of carob moth mortality. The larval mortality percentages increased significantly with Neem extract at (15%) reached (43.33and 56.70%) after 4 days of treatment for 3rd and 5th instar larvae respectively. The cumulative mortality percentage for 3rd and 5th instar larvae treated with Metarhizium anisopliae at (1×106 spore /ml) reached to (93.33%) after 6 days of treatment