Abstract

This paper presents the results of a screening of plant extracts obtained from 134 plant species of the Eurasian region for chronic toxicity and larval inhibition in Spodoptera littoralis larval growth. The extracts from Ailanthus altissima, Ajuga chamaepitys; Ajuga reptans, Angelica archangelica, Artemisia campestris, Buphtalmum salicifolium, Camellia sinensis, Chenopodium bonus-henricus, Eupatorium cannabinum, Foeniculum vulgare, Lythrum salicaria, Lythrum virgatum, Mentha arvensis, Mentha longifolia, Mentha suaveolens,Potentila argentea, Potentila fruticosa, Seseli pallasii and Vincetoxicum hirundinaria were selected, which caused both 100% larval mortality and growth inhibition higher than 75% after application of 15 mg dose of the extract in 1 g of food. Lethal doses and the effect of LD₅₀ on growth inhibition and antifeedant were estimated in order to determine the differences in efficiency of the selected extracts based on the mortality results, the extract from A. archangelica seeds could be chosen as the most efficient one for its LD₅₀ was significantly lower (0.4 mg/g) compared to the other extracts.

Key words: Spodoptera littoralis, plant extracts, botanical insecticides, antifeedancy, acute toxicity.