African Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology (AJAST)

Vol. 3, Issue 7, pp. 310-315. June, 2015

http://www.oceanicjournals.org/ajast
ISSN 2311-5882
2015 Oceanic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Synergetic effects of various plant extracts as bio-pesticide against

Wheat Aphid (Diurophous noxia L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Habib Ali1*, Muhammad Qasim2, Hafiz Sohaib Ahmed Saqib1, Muhammad Arif1 and Saif-ul Islam1
1

Department of Plant Protection, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China, 350002.
2
Department of Agricultural Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-Pakistan, 35040.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: habib_ali1417@yahoo.com
Accepted 6th July, 2015

Human health and environment are greatly affected by extensive used of synthetic insecticide, which is why the
alternative way of pesticides, such as botanical pesticide consumption increase with the passage of time to
control of insect pests. The insecticidal impact of Moringa (Moringa oleifera), Neem (Azadirachta indica) and
Euclyptus (Eucalyptus globules) leaves extracts were investigated on Diurophous noxia (Hemiptera:
Aphididae). This study was aimed to evaluate the efficiency of bio-pesticide instead of synthetic chemicals
against D. noxia. Experimental results showed that the percentage of mortality fluctuate with the fluctuation of
concentration with time intervals and have great impact on the population of D. noxia. Single, doubled and
tripled combinations of leaves extract were tested at two different concentrations (25 and 50%). The results
suggested and concluded that from all the application of single botanicals A. indica give better result as
compared to other single application while application of double combination M. olerifera with A. indica give
significance result instead of other double mixture, meanwhile the triple combination (M. olerifera, A. indica and
E. globules) performed excellent result as the others triple mixtures. The study revealed that combine used of
M. olerifera, A. indica and E. globules leaves extract were very effective against D. noxia and surge as an
alternative way of pesticides instead of synthetic chemicals.
Key words: Wheat aphid, plant extract, mortality, M. olerifera, A. indica, E. globule.

INTRODUCTION
Wheat is the staple food of Pakistan, which is being
used 129 kg per head annually and this crop covers
more than eighty percent of country. In 2008-2009,
wheat were cultivated over an area of 8.459 million
hectares giving 23.03 m. tones production (Zeb et al.,
2011). Wheat is great source of income in the rural
areas of Pakistan and as well as in the world. Yield per
acre of wheat in Pakistan is much lower than the other
wheat growing countries. Many factors contribute to the
low yield of wheat in Pakistan including, method of
cultivation, improper irrigation facilities, low level of soil
fertility
and
particularly insect pest attacks.

All over the world, wheat is faced with many problems

related to insect pest attacks such as weeds, pathogens
and insects, which are main causal agents in yield
reduction (2550%) (Pimentel et al., 1991; Oerke,
2006). Thus, wheat is drastically being affected by
sucking insect pests and dominated by wheat aphid,
Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko) (Homoptera: Aphididae).
There are six species of wheat aphid that include
Russian wheat aphid (D. noxia), the English grain ear
aphid (Sitobion avenae), common green wheat aphid
(Schizaphis graminum), bird cherry-oat aphid
(Rhopalosiphum padi), and
rose
grain aphid

Afr. J. Agric. Sci. Technol.

311

(Metopolophium dirhodum) which were reported to

damage wheat but D. noxia was reported most
damaging and dangerous specie (Toit, 1986; Prinsloo
et al., 2007). It attacks specially at early stage of wheat
and causes significant loss almost twenty percent at the
end of harvest. The population of D. noxia is greater
from last few years and now it becomes a regular pest
of Pakistan (Aheer et al., 2008).
Management of D. noxia was being done by
commercial insecticides consistently and blindly, but the
applications of chemicals caused some nonrecoverable problems, like development of new
resistant insects strains, accumulation of pesticide
residues in food chain and on the other hand increasing
the cost of these pesticides. Thus, some plant extracts
integrated in the control measures to limit the
populations of wheat aphid across the globe, by
repellence, mortality, and affecting the fecundity (Jilani
and Su, 1983; Kim et al., 2003).
Moringa is much beneficial in daily life, due to certain
values, such as; antispasmodic (JU et al., 2014),
diuretic, antihypertensive, cholesterol lowering (Mehta
et al., 2003), antioxidant, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective,
antibacterial and antifungal activities (Farjana et al.,
2003). Pulverized leaves of M. oleifera were applied to
Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Anita et al., 2012;
Saleem et al., 2014) and Aedes aegypti (Ferreira et al.,
2009), which caused 100% mortality to larvae as well
as adults within nine days.
The tree of neem, A. indica, is a multipurpose plant
that is cultivated in almost all parts of the world. Three
hundred elements are reported in the extract of A.
indica, which are very effective against insects,
termites, and nematodes and known as biological
regulator against insects pests as well as
environmental friendly with respective to the ecosystem
(El Shafie and Basedow, 2003). The active compound
interferes with the feeding activity of pests, interrupt
molting process, and growth postponed (Ahmed and
Grainge, 1985; Mordue et al., 2010).
Genus eucalyptus is an aromatic plants belonging to
a family Myrtaceae, which originated from Australia with
seven hundred species identified all over the world
(Brooker and Kleinig, 2006), and is regarded as one of
the most-extensively planted pulpwood species. E.
globules is also a multipurpose plant and has variety of
composition (Brooker and Kleinig, 2006). The genus
Eucalyptus do not only provide firewood for biomass
and minimize the concentration of environmental
carbon dioxide level but is also used direct or indirect
for the control of insect pest, and known as allopathic
property to the tree (Liu et al., 2008). In general, the
plant secondary metabolites including phenolics,
tannins and even monoterpenes are considered to have
co-evolved with herbivory (Vourch et al., 2002; Bailey et
al., 2004; Foley and Moore, 2005).
There is no combine study reporting the use of

different natural plants extracts (M. oleifera, A. indica

and E. globules) as a bio-pesticide against D. noxia.
Therefore, the present study was carried out to
investigate the synergetics effect of M. oleifera and
other plants extract as bio-pesticide.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Experiments were carried out during 2013-14 at
Entomological Research Center, University of
Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan. Experimental area
was divided into two parts, untreated plots or control
plots with the size of 5 3 m and treated plots with the
size of 5 3 m sprayed with Neem, Euclyptus and
Moringa with two different concentration (at 25% con.
1/4 plant extracts with 3/4 distilled water and at 50%
conc. 2/4 plants extracts with 2/4 distilled water) for the
control of aphid, one spray at flowering or milky stage
(growth stage (GS) 69, (Tottman, 1987) and the other
spray at maturing stage of wheat. The plots were
arranged in a completely randomized block design with
split plot arrangement. All agronomic practices were
uniformly carried out according to farmers practices in
the study area.
The planned study was conducted with the objective
to find effectiveness of some botanical bio-pesticides
against wheat aphid. It were comprised of eight
treatments viz. T1= Moringa leafs extracts, T2= Neem
leafs extract, T3= Eucalyptus leafs extracts, T4=
Moringa leafs extract+ Neem leafs extract, T5= Moringa
leafs+ Eucalyptus leafs extracts, T6= Neem +
Eucalyptus leafs extracts, T7= Moringa + Neem +
Eucalyptus leafs extracts, T8= control were applied
(Table 1). Two sprays, one at milky stage and other at
maturing stage at different concentrations (25 and 50%)
were applied. All the recommended agronomic
practices were carried out during experimentation.
Fresh and healthy leaves of three allelopathic tree
species viz., M. oleifera, A. indica and E. globules were
collected from University of Agriculture and surrounded
areas of Faisalabad, Pakistan. They were chosen due
to their availability in the wheat production regions, their
medicinal properties (Van Wyk and Gericke, 2000) and
their insect repelling properties (Bruce et al., 2002;
Zehnder et al., 2007; Halbert et al., 2008; Grr et al.,
2009). Fresh leaves from each of 3 test tree species
were soaked in sterilized distilled water for 24 h. After
soaking, leaves were grind through rotary shaker for
extraction, and extract was filtered through a double
layered muslin cloth followed by Whatman No. 1 filter
paper and used in the further experiments immediately.
For recording the aphids population, wheat
plants/plot were randomly to count aphids from leaves
and spikes in the field. The average number of
aphids/plant was calculated before and after application
of plants extracts. At the economic threshold level of

Habib et al.

312

Table 1. Experimental design of conducted study.

Experimental design of conducted study

T1
Moringa leaves Extract (MLE) @ 25 and 50% conc.
T2
Neem leaves Extract (NLE) @ 25 and 50% conc.
T3
Eucalyptus leaves Extract (ELE) @ 25 and 50% conc.
T4
Moringa + Neem (MLE+ NLE) @ 25 and 50% conc.
T5
Moringa + Eucalyptus (MLE+ ELE) @ 25 and 50% conc.
T6
Neem+ Eucalyptus leaves Extract (NLE+ ELE) @ 25 and 50% conc.
T7
Moringa+ Neem+ Eucalyptus leaves Extract (MLE+ NLE+ ELE) @ 25 and 50% conc.
T8
Control

wheat aphid, these bio-pesticides were applied twice

once at milky stage and other in mature stage as foliar
application with manual sprayer. The sprays were
applied at two different concentrations; 25 and 50%.
Data was collected 24 h before and 24, 48, 72 h and
one week after application of bio-pesticide. For
recording the aphids population 15 randomly selected
plants and density of aphids plant-1 with mean values
of spike/tiller and leaf/tiller were collected. For aphids
control, the above bio-pesticides were sprayed on the
wheat plants surface with the given concentrations. The
calculation of percentage mortality was achieved with
the help of the formula;

% Mortality =

Pre treatment Post treatment

100
Pre treatment

Data was analyzed with the help of MSTAT-C computer

program (Freed and Scott, 1986) and means were
compared at 5% significance level.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Significant results were obtained with the application of
plants extracts with regard to mortality and dormant
effect on population buildup of wheat aphid.
Pretreatment data were recorded before 24 h for the
application of bio-pesticides (Table 2). The obtained
results revealed that different concentration of plants
extracts as bio-pesticides varied greatly with regard to
insect mortality. All plant extracts were observed to be
effective against wheat aphid, but in case of single
application of plant extracts, Neem Leaf Extract (NLE)
performed better and give significant results than all
other single extracts (Moringa Leaf Extract, MLE and
Eucalyptus Leaf Extract, ELE).
Table 2. ANOVA for the population of wheat aphid per spike
before 24 h of extracts application.

Source
Blocks
Treatments
Error
Total

DF
2
7
14
23

Stander error, 0.556.

SS
0.3333
7.625
13
20.958

MS
0.1667
1.0893
0.9286

1.2

0.377

According to single applications of bio-pesticide on

leafs, for example, MLE average mortality% of D. noxia
were recorded 58.37, 45.87, 33.37, 20.87 and 47.95,
55.37, 41.97, 22.25%: ELE, 50, 35.43, 22.93, 14.65
and 43.97, 51.78, 38.38, 21.73% at 25 and 50%
concentrations respectively but NLE performed better
results, that is, 62.5, 50, 37.5, 25 and 73.52, 52.93,
44.10, 23.50% as compared to other single application
at both concentrations after 24, 48, 72 h and one week
of time intervals of applications, respectively.
With the application of double plant extracts
mortality% were recorded in MLE + ELE , 50, 37.5, 25,
14.62 and 55.98, 59.81, 46.42, 29.55%: NLE+ ELE,
56.25, 45.81, 33.37, 16.68 and 59.98, 54.46, 41.06,
24.34% but with the combination of MLE+ NLE, 58.37,
47.93, 35.43, 18.75 and 64.92, 47.78, 38.10, 20.36% %
give significance results as compare to other double
combinations at 25 and 50% concentrations on spikes
after 24, 48, 72 h and one week of time intervals of
application respectively.
Similarly, application of plant extracts in combination
of three, MLE+ NLE+ ELE performed better and
excellent results than application of plant extracts in
alone or combination at 25 and 50% concentration at
both sprays. Due to combined application of three plant
extracts as bio-pesticide average mean mortality of
wheat aphid were 64.62, 52.06, 39.62, 29.18 and 82.34,
61.73, 49.27, 32.41% on leaves after 24, 48, 72 h and
one week of application respectively (Figure 1).
Significant results were obtained on spikes with the
application of plants extracts with regard to mortality
with different concentrations. Pretreatment data were
recorded on spikes before 24 h for the application of
bio-pesticides (Table 3).
Table 3. ANOVA for the population of wheat aphid per leafs per
tiller before 24 h of extracts application.

Source
Blocks
Treatments
Error
Total

DF
2
7
14
23

SS
7.5833
1.1667
7.0833
15.833

MS
3.7917
0.1667
0.506

0.3

0.928

Stander error, 0.4107.

According to single applications of bio-pesticide on

spikes, MLE average mortality % of D. noxia were

Afr. J. Agric. Sci. Technol.

313

Figure 1. Mortality of wheat aphids on leafs at the concentration of 25 and 50% solution, each colure of 1st
line indicate the 25% and each colure of 2 nd row indicate the 50% concentration of solution, while different
colors show different time intervals.

Figure 2. Mortality % of wheat aphids on spikes at the concentration of 25 and 50% solution
each colure of 1st line indicate the 25% and each colure of 2 nd row indicate the 50%
concentration of solution, while different colors show different time intervals).

recorded 44.23, 25.65, 15.02, 9.46 and 51.61, 25.80,

12.90, 9.67: ELE 34.51, 13.27, 7.96, 2.58 and 48.38,
21.51, 4.32, 2.15: at 25 and 50% concentrations but
NLE performed better results, that is, 47.79, 27.42,
16.80, 11.20 and 67.85, 57.13, 43.74, 26.95 as
compare to other single application at both

concentrations after 24, 48, 72 h and one week of time

intervals of applications respectively.
With the application of double plant extracts mortality
% were recorded in MLE + ELE , 55.57, 43.45, 18.18,
15.15 and 55.93, 41.93, 17.22, 13.97% : NLE+ ELE,
41.58, 19.46, 9.71, 6.02 and 65.17, 54.46, 41.06,

Habib et al.

24.34% but with the combination of MLE+ NLE, 61.07,

38.92, 29.20, 23.27 and 73.21, 64.29, 51.78, 33.91%
give significance results as compare to other double
combinations at 25 and 50% concentrations on spikes
after 24, 48, 72 h and one week of time intervals of
application respectively.
Similarly, application of plant extracts in combination
of three, MLE+ NLE+ ELE performed better than
application of plant extracts in alone or combination at
25 and 50% concentration at both sprays. Due to
combined application of three plant extracts as biopesticide average mean mortality of wheat aphid as
65.48, 46.89, 37.17, 31.03 and 75.89, 65.17, 51.78,
33.91% on spikes recorded after 24, 48, 72 h and one
week of application respectively (Figure 2).
Our results are in comparison with Kim et al. (2003) in
which 90% mortality of Sitophilus oryzae were found
with application of different plants extracts viz Acrorus
gramineus rhizhome, A. indica, Acrorus calamus and
IIIicium verum after 3 or 4 days of treatments. Elhag
(2000) studied the effect of 9 different plant extracts
against Callobrouchus maculates and the highest
mortality were observed with application of A. indica
(76.8%), Heliotropium bacciferum (59.2%) and citrous
peel (58.6) of plants extracts. Similarly, Chitra et al.
(1991) and Chandel et al. (1987) studied the toxicity of
different plants extracts viz, 0.5% aqueous crude leaf
extract of A. squamosa, 1% aqueous neem leaf extract
and 1% of petroleum extract of Eucalyptus globulus and
leaf extract of Vinca rosea petroleum, extract of
Parthenium hysterosphorius and whole plant extract of
yellow berries night shade, Solanum xanthocarpum
were used against brinjal spotted leaf beetle,
Henosepilachna vigintioctopuncata and found 100%
protection against II and III instar grubs of this beetle.
Conclusion
The result showed that use of plant extracts alone or
combination as bio-pesticides at 50% concentration
were highly effective against wheat pests (wheat aphid).
More important was the primary antifeedant effects of
bio-pesticides were persistent for a period of at least 7
days with little or no deficiency.
The result revealed that maximum mortality % of aphids
were recorded in T7= Moringa + Neem+ Eucalyptus
leafs extracts at 50% concentration on leafs (82.34,
61.73, 49.27 and 32.41%) and on spikes (75.89, 65.17,
51.78 and 33.91%) after 24, 48, 72 h and one week of
application respectively, While minimum mortality %
were recorded in T8= Untreated plots (0%) followed by
T3= Eucalyptus leafs extracts, T6= Neem+ Eucalyptus
leafs extracts at both sprays and at both concentrations
respectively.
From the results of the experiments, it can be
concluded and suggested that the combined use of bio-

314

pesticides (M. oeifara + A. indica + E. globolus) at 50%

concentration are very effective against wheat aphid.
Moreover, these plants extracts can be used as an
alternative tool to conventional synthetic insecticides
and are friendly to human health as well as to the
environment. The use of these bio-pesticides could play
an important role in integrated pest management
programs in future.
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