Effect of plant extracts on feeding activity of cabbage butterfly, Pieris brassicae

Abstract

The antifeedant activity of various plant extracts were evaluated against cabbage butterfly under laboratory conditions (range of temperature 27-30°C and RH 75-80%). An experiment was conducted to find out antifeedant activity of leaf extracts prepared in cow urine at 2% and 5% concentrations of various plant species viz., Azadiracta indica, Eupatorium triplinerve, Cannabis sativa, Nerium indicum, Parthenium hysterophorus, Melia azedarach, Lantana camara, Annona squamosa, Datura stramonium, against 3rd instar larvae of P.brassicae. These were tested by using ‘no-choice feeding’ bioassay method. The observation on leaf area consumed was recorded on graph sheets and was used for calculations of other parameters viz., Mean leaf area consumed (cm2), Per cent feeding, Per cent Feeding inhibition, Antifeedant activity (%) and Preference index (C-value).