Extract Bioefficiency of Five Euphorbia spp. (Euphorbaceae) on Crimson-Speckled Moth, Utetheisa pulchella L. (Lepidoptera, Acritidae) Growth and Development

Abstract

In the course of screening for novel naturally occurring insecticides from plants, the ethanol extract of the Arial parts of 5 Euphorbia weeds was found to show insecticidal activity against Utetheisa Pulchella L. Extracts from E. granulata L., E. petiolata L., E. peplis L., E. nutans Lag. and E. heliscopia L. possessed bioinsecticidal activity against immature stages with LC50 values between 84.0 and 480 ppm. Although all could be viable insecticides, extracts of E. granulata, E. petiolata and E. peplis are by far the most likely to succeed.Significant observations about wings malformations were reported, they varied between fair and heavy curly wings and eclusion failure. Histological effect of the applied Euphorbia extracts was tested by E. granulata extract, the extract induces separation of peritrophic matrix and necrosis of epidermal cells. The extract affects the metabolic activities of prepupa midgut which is represented by notable variation in chromatin colour of epidermal nuclei.