Abstract

LARVICIDAL AND PUPICIDAL ACTIVITIES OF SELECTED PLANT ESSENTIAL OILS AGAINST IMPORTANT VECTOR MOSQUITOES: DENGUE VECTOR, AEDES AEGYPTI (L.), MALARIAL VECTOR ANOPHELES STEPHENSI (LISTON), FILARIASIS VECTOR, CULEX QUINQUEFASCIATUS SAY (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE)

G. Ramar and A. Jeyasankar*

Abstract

The larvicidal and pupicidal potential of five different essential oils (Citriodora oil, Lemon grass, Gaultheria oil, Citronella oil, Clove oil) were tested against the fourth-instar larvae of Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus. Insecticidal susceptibility tests were carried out using WHO standard method and the mortality was observed after 24-h exposure. All the tested oils showed moderate to good larvicidal and pupicidal activities. However, the maximum larval mortality was detected in oil of Citriodora against Cx. quinquefasciatus (LC50 13.47, LC95 191.80 ppm) and followed by Lemon grass and Gaultheria oil. The maximum pupal mortality was observed in oil of Citriodora against Cx. quinquefasciatus (LC50 54.21, LC95 439.73) followed by Lemon grass of the selected oils and encourages further effort to investigate the bioactive compounds in those oils that might possess good larvicidal and pupicidal properties when it will be isolated in pure form.

Keywords: Larvicidal, pupicidal, essential oils, mosquito vectors.