Antifeedant and insecticidal properties of Solanum elaeagnifolium extracts on the African Cotton Leafworm

Antifeedant, malformations, and growth inhibition induced by leaves and seeds methanolic extracts of Solanum elaeagnifolium against Spodoptera littoralis were investigated. Seeds and leaves extracts were added to an artificial diet which was found to have an inhibitory effect on the growth of the larvae. The highest growth inhibition was recorded on larvae treated with seeds extract (59.68%) compared to leaves extract (45.17%). The toxicity was demonstrated by a reduction of the weight do to the anti-feeding activity, an elongation of the larval stadiums until development stopping and larval mortality. The seeds extract shows strong antifeedant activity (28.50%) as compared to leaves extract tested (6.64%). The larval mortality was caused by seeds extract (100%) in response to exuviation difficulties. While, the leaves extract caused various degrees of morphogenesis abnormalities in pupae, with mortality rate around 80%. Our results suggest that seeds methanolic extract of S. elaeagnifolium shows an effective insect growth inhibiting and exhibits great promise in suppressing the population of S. littoralis.