.Pandit942024AJRCS124954
.Pandit942024AJRCS124954
.Pandit942024AJRCS124954
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This work was carried out in collaboration among all authors. All authors read and approved the final
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Article Information
DOI: https://doi.org/10.9734/ajrcs/2024/v9i4305
Received: 05/08/2024
Original Research Article Accepted: 11/10/2024
Published: 16/10/2024
ABSTRACT
The black bean aphid (Aphis fabae), poses a significant threat to cultivated crops, leading to food
insecurity and hunger concerns. Essential oils from plants offer promising low-risk alternatives to
synthetic chemicals for aphid control whose widespread use has raised serious environmental and
health issues. To assess the efficacy of plant essential oils, an experiment was carried out at the
Entomology Laboratory of Lamjung Campus, Tribhuvan University following a completely
randomized design with three replications using eight treatments including a control (distilled water
and ethanol). The essential oils used were Neem (Azadirachta indica), Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus
globulus), Palma rosa (Cymbopogon martini), Citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus), lemongrass
(Cymbopogon citratus), Juniper berry (Juniperus recurva), Mint (Mentha arvensis) and control
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Cite as: Pandit, Rabina, Bishnu Dawadi, Amir Pandit, and Gayatri Kumari Upadhaya. 2024. “Efficacy of Essential Oils Against
Black Bean Aphid (Aphis Fabae Scopoli) under Laboratory Conditions”. Asian Journal of Research in Crop Science 9 (4):132-
38. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajrcs/2024/v9i4305.
Pandit et al.; Asian J. Res. Crop Sci., vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 132-138, 2024; Article no.AJRCS.124954
(distilled water and ethanol) at the concentration of 1% and 2% with the exposure time of 12, 24 and
48 hours for contact mortality and 2 µL and 4 µL with the exposure time of 12 and 24 hours for
fumigation mortality. The result revealed that individual mortality rate increased with increasing oil
concentration and exposure time. Lemongrass with 2% concentration resulted in the high mortality
percentage (66.66%) whereas, Neem with 1% concentration demonstrated the lowest (23.3%) in
contact assay. Similarly, in fumigation assay, the highest mortality percentage was exhibited by 4 µL
Lemongrass (100%) when compared to 2 µL Neem and Juniper berry have lowest mortality
percentage (73.33%) after the control. Therefore, Lemongrass with 2% concentration for contact
assay and 4 µL Lemongrass for fumigation assay was considerably more effective than other used
essential oils. However, more research is necessary with locally available essential oils to assure the
long-term effectiveness in field and lab conditions with different concentrations and exposure time.
The result could benefit the farmer and gardener by developing essential oils as commercial
products to apply natural, eco-friendly and non-toxic management method which is alternative to
synthetic pesticides.
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Pandit et al.; Asian J. Res. Crop Sci., vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 132-138, 2024; Article no.AJRCS.124954
control were used. Three replication per using Duncan´s Multiple Range Test at 5% level
treatments were done. The aphid mortality was of significance.
assayed through two parameters during the
experiment. 3. RESULTS
2.1 Contact Mortality Assay (Leaf Dip 3.1 Effect of Treatments on the Contact
Bioassay) Mortality of Aphid
Using ethanol as a non-polar solvent, each At 12hrs, the highest mortality percentage was
treatment oil was dissolved before being utilized found in Lemongrass (26.66%) which was
to investigate the direct contact effect of essential statistically par with Palmarosa and Mint and the
oils on aphid species. There were two lowest mortality rate was in control .The lowest
concentration levels 1% and 2% -prepared for aphid mortality after control was in Neem (10%)
each treatment. In three replications, each which was statistically par with Citronella and
individual faba bean leaf was immersed in the oil Eucalyptus. Similarly, at 24hrs, highest aphid
solution of every treatment for about five mortality was seen in Lemongrass (43.33%) and
minutes. The volatile solvent was then allowed to lowest mortality was in Neem (15%) but
evaporate by letting them dry for a while. Eucalyptus and Juniper berry were also
Following treatment, the leaves were placed in significantly at par. In the 48hrs, similar result
sterile Petri plates with damp filter paper within. was observed where Lemongrass had the
In each petri dish, ten aphids were released and highest aphid mortality rate (61.66%) which was
given time to settle on the leaves that had been statistically similar with Palmarosa and
treated. Then the petri plate was covered by Eucalyptus. The lowest mortality percentage was
muslin cloth so that aphids present inside the shown by Eucalyptus (30%) which was
petri plate could not escaped away. After 12 statistically par with Neem.
hours and 24 hours, the number of dead aphids
was counted. Using a little brush to gently strike The mortality rate had increased with exposure
the aphid and keeping an eye out for any time and higher the concentration of Essential
movement of its legs or antennae, one may oils from 1% to 2%, more was the mortality rate.
identify dead aphids. From the interaction table, in 12hrs it was found
that Mint at 2% concentration revealed the
2.2 Fumigation Mortality Assay highest mortality percentage (33.33%) which was
statistically par with Lemongrass (30%) and
Saturated filter paper was stored in three layers Palmarosa (26.66%) but Neem at 1%
within sterile 9 cm petri dishes. At the bottom of concentration demonstrated lowest mortality
the filter sheets was a tiny, rectangular (5×2 cm) (6.66%). In 24hrs, Lemongrass with 2%
filter paper. Each essential oil was directly added concentration exhibited the highest mortality rate
to the rectangular piece of filter paper with a (53.33%) whereas lowest mortality was shown by
micropipette, at concentrations of 2 µL and 4 µL. Neem, juniper berry and citronella at 1%
To avoid direct contact between the oils and the concentration with 13.33% .Similarly, in 48hrs,
experimental pest, ten aphids were then Lemongrass with 2% mortality exhibited the
introduced onto the upper layer of the petri dish. highest mortality (66.66%) whereas Neem with
To keep the treated oils from leaking, parafilm 1% mortality showed the lowest (23.33%).
was then used to enclose the entire apparatus.
Similar methods were described in Chalise & 3.2 Effect of Treatments on Fumigation
Dawadi, 2019. Mortality of Aphid
Mortality of aphids was counted after 12hrs, From the table, at 12hrs, the highest mortality
24hrs and 48hrs. Mortality of treated aphid was percentage was shown by Palmarosa and Mint
then calculated by dividing the number of dead with 85% but statistically, it was similar with
aphids in petri plate by total number of aphids in Citronella, Eucalyptus and Lemongrass. Mortality
petri plate and expressing it in terms of percentage in Lemongrass was highest (98.33%)
percentage. The collected data of aphid mortality at 24hrs which were significantly par with
was processed with MS Excel 365 and analysis Citronella, Eucalyptus and Mint. Neem at 12hrs
of variance was done using R- Stat software (71.66%) and 24hrs (75%) showed the lowest
(version 4.1.0). Mean comparison was done mortality percentage after control.
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Pandit et al.; Asian J. Res. Crop Sci., vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 132-138, 2024; Article no.AJRCS.124954
Table 2. Interaction of essential oils and concentration on aphid mortality in contact assay
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Pandit et al.; Asian J. Res. Crop Sci., vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 132-138, 2024; Article no.AJRCS.124954
Table 4. Interaction of essential oils and concentration on aphid mortality in fumigation assay
highest mortality of aphid was shown by present in the oil of Lemongrass attributed to its
lemongrass with 80%. Chalise & Dawadi [1] also insecticidal property [16]. The primary contributor
reported that the highest contact mortality for the insecticidal property of Lemongrass oil is
percentage had resulted in Lemongrass. Ricci et citral which is a mixture of geranial and neral
al. discovered that lemongrass oil could [16]. Citral can regulate cell proliferation by
efficiently repel Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), a interacting with intracellular oxygen radicals and
Russian wheat aphid. Zhang et al. [15] reported oxidative stress. Furthermore citral and other
that with LC50 value of 169.6 mg/L in 24 hours components may act on neuroreceptors, obstruct
after treatment, Lemongrass essential oil showed signal transduction, and induce hormonal
high toxicity against Aphis citricola. The various imbalance, membrane damage, and cytotoxicity
bioactive cyclic and acyclic terpene constituents in the host [17]. In addition to its major
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Pandit et al.; Asian J. Res. Crop Sci., vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 132-138, 2024; Article no.AJRCS.124954
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Pandit et al.; Asian J. Res. Crop Sci., vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 132-138, 2024; Article no.AJRCS.124954
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