Laboratory assessment of cabbage seed oil and Alhagi maurorum extract in enhanced insecticidal activity of chlorantraniliprole and lambda-cyhalothrin against Pieris brassicae (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)

Cabbage large white butterfly, Pieris brassicae is one of the important insect pests of plant family Brassicacea which causes remarkable quantitative or qualitative crop losses. Keeping in view the problems caused by conventional chemical insecticides, need is being felt for insecticides with more efficient and low-risk ones as well as biodegradable compounds. Nowadays, utilization of botanical plant compounds as bioenhancer and bioinsecticide are becoming increasingly important, due to their acceptable efficiency and relative safety to human and environment. To this end, we investigated the efficacy of chlorantraniliprole and lambda-cyhalothrin insecticides alone and in combination with Alhagi maurorum extract and cabbage seed oil against P. brassicae under laboratory conditions. Probit analysis revealed chlorantraniliprole as the most effective insecticide against egg, first, second and third instar larvae with LC50 values of 11, 4, 15 and 16 mg/l, respectively. Methanolic extract of A. maurorum when combined with chlorantraniliprole and lambdacyhalothrin possessed additive and synergistic effect, respectively. In bioassays, the addition of feeding stimulant improved the efficacy of the insecticides. The concentrations of chlorantraniliprole and lambdacyhalothrin required for 50 % mortality of all tested larval stages were reduced when the feeding stimulant was added in concentrations of 1 and 5 %. This information will guide future study and could be used as an effective tool for P. brassicae management strategies.