The effect of some plant extracts in comparison to Dinotefuran insecticide on the nymph of common pistachio psyllid (Agonoscena pistaciae) under field conditions

Common pistachio psyllid (Agonoscena pistaciae) is the most important pest of pistachio orchards in Iran.

In order to reduce chemical toxins in pistachio orchards, several experiments were conducted, including pre-tests to determine the concentration. In field experiments in the form of completely randomized block design, it has been attempted to investigate the effect of several plant extracts of Lavender, Stinking assa, and Tobacco with respectively 5.981± 1.48, 10. 397±5.58, and 18.127±2.83 LC50 and Dinotefuran (Starkle) 0.7 per thousand with 3 replicates on the percentage reduction of nymph population. Pre-test was conducted to determine the required concentration based on the logarithmic mortality percentage of 25 to 75%. After applying the treatments randomly, as many as 30 leaflets were selected from each treatment and transferred to the laboratory to count the nymphs.

The results of analysis of variance and comparison of means indicated a significant effect of plant extracts on the percentage of pistachio nymph psyllid mortality at the level of one or five percent compared to that of the control. Using the plant extracts decreased the percentage of nymph population, and this decrease was different based on the type of plant species and concentration. The maximum time of nymph mortality was observed on day 14 and the lowest mortality was observed on day 3. The highest efficiency for reducing the population of nymphs was observed in Starkle pesticide, and the maximum percentage of nymph mortality was observed in Lavender, Stinking assa, and Tobacco, respectively.

The compounds tested in this study can be used to control this pest.