Pakistan Entomologist
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MORTALITY RESPONSES OF SPODOPTERA LITURA (FAB.) (LEPIDOPTERA:
NOCTUIDAE) AGAINST SOME CONVENTIONAL AND NEW CHEMISTRY
INSECTICIDES UNDER LABORATORY CONDITIONS
*
Rashad Rasool Khan, Sohail Ahmed and Shahid Nisar
Department of Agri. Entomology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad.
ARTICLE INFORMATION
A BS TR A C T
Received: September 10, 2011
The new chemistry and conventional insecticides were evaluated for their efficacy against
the armyworm, Spodoptera litura (Fab.) in the laboratory. All the evaluated insecticides
proved toxic for S. litura under laboratory conditions, but chlorpyrifos, profenofos,
emamectin benzoate, spinosad, indoxacarb, methoxyfenozide and lufenuron proved highly
toxic as the exposure time was extended. After 3 days of the insecticide treatment, 100%
mortality was observed in emamectin benzoate @ 100 and 110 ml/acre treatment, followed
by chlorpyrifos @ 1100 ml/acre (96.56%), leufenuron @ 55 ml/acre (86.67%) and methomyl
@ 440 ml/acre (83.34%). However, chlorpyrifos and emamectin benzoate, at all the three
doses, leufenuron at the higher and recommended dose and thiodicarb, spinosad and
methoxyfenozide, at higher doses, were ranked highly toxic-as these insecticides caused the
highest mortality (>90%) in S. litura.
Received in revised form: November 29, 2011
Accepted: December 8, 2011
*
Corresponding Author:
Rashad Rasool Khan
Email: rashad_khan1@yahoo.com
Keywords:
Mortality response, Spodoptera litura, conventional insecticides, new chemistry
insecticides, laboratory conditions.
strategy in case of the insects (Denholm and Rowland, 1992).
This tactic has not yet been tested on the field collected
resistant populations of Spodoptera spp.
The present studies report the comparative efficacy of
profenofos (Curacron® 50EC), chlorpyrifos (Lorsban®
40EC), methomyl (Lannate® 40SP), thiodicarb (Larvin®
80DP), lufenuron (Match® 5EC), abamectin (Agrimec®
1.8EC), emamectin benzoate (Proclaim® 1.9EC), spinosad
(Tracer® 24SC), indoxacarb (Steward® 15EC) and
methoxyfenozide (Runner® 24SC) at 10% low and high
recommended field dose rate against Spodoptera litura.
INTRODUCTION
Armyworm (Spodoptera spp., Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) have
attained the status of the primary insect pest of cotton in
Pakistan (Ahmad et al., 2007a). Besides cotton, it also attacks
on tobacco and crucifers (Hussain and Shah, 1998; Ghaffar et
al., 2002; Saeed et al., 2010). Spodoptera exigua and S. litura
are important species prevalent in cotton crop.
The insecticides used for the control of armyworms includes
conventional (OPs, permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin,
cyhalothrin etc.) and new chemistry insecticides which have
become in effective (Ahmad and Arif, 2009; Ahmad et al.,
2007b; Saleem et al., 2008; Shad et al., 2010).
In order to mitigate insecticide resistance, several strategies
have been suggested and tested in the field and these novel
strategies must be verified with economic and pest control
data to convince farmers (Gressel et al., 1996). With such
tactics, resistance may be minimized or delayed by preserving
a sufficient population of susceptible individuals through the
use of lower rates of given pesticides and avoid the selection
of recessively resistant heterozygotes. On the other hand, use
of high dose is also recommended but as means of eliminating
or reducing frequency of heterozygote where resistance is
dominant (NRC, 1986). A number of studies have been
conducted in this regards with fungicides and rodenticides, a
few were related to managing the resistance by low/high dose
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Insects
The full grown larvae of S. litura were collected from the
cotton crop and were reared at 30±2°C and 65±5% R.H. with
light: darkness ratio of 14:10 hrs on a semi-synthetic diet
(Ahmad et al., 2005).
Insecticides
The recommended insecticides against Spodoptera litura on
cotton crop in Pakistan were selected for the experimentation.
The insecticides viz., profenofos (Curacron® 50EC),
Cite this article as: Khan, R.R., S. Ahmed and S. Nisar, 2011. Mortality responses of Spodoptera litura (Fab.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) against some
conventional and new chemistry insecticides under laboratory conditions. Pak. Entomol., 33(2): 147-150.
147
Khan et al. / Pakistan Entomologist 2011, 33(2): 147-150
level of resistance was found in Spodoptera exigua against
chlorpyrifos.
All the larvae treated with the recommended and higher dose
rates of methomyl were found dead after 7 days of its
application whereas 83.34 % mortality was observed after 7
days when the larvae were treated with its lower dose rate
(360 g/acre). The higher dose rate (440 g/acre) of thiodicarb
caused 93.34 % mortality at the 7th day of treatment
application and the recommended and lower dose rates (400
and 360 g/acre) caused 80 and 73.32 % mortality,
respectively.
Among the new chemistry insecticides, lowest mortality
(53.31%) was found in abamectin (180 ml/acre) even after 7
days of its application; however, the mortality increased with
an increase in the dose rate. The higher dose rates of spinosad
(44 ml/acre) caused 93.33% mortality after 7 days, but its
recommended dose (40 ml/acre) caused 86.66% mortality of
the S. litura larvae.
After 7 days of application, the larval mortality reached up to
83.34% in the larvae treated with higher dose rate of
indoxacarb (110 ml/acre). Almost the same mortality
(83.33%) was observed after 7 days of treatment with
methoxyfenozide (100 ml/acre) and when the dose was
increased to 110 ml/acre, the mortality was 93.23% after 7
days of application.
Insecticides like, chlorpyrifos, emamectin benzoate at all
three dose rates, lufenuron-at higher and recommended dose
rates and thiodicarb, spinosad and methoxyfenozide-at higher
dose rates, were ranked highly toxic, as maximum mortality
levels were observed in chlorpyrifos @ 900, 1000 and 1100
ml/acre, methomyl @ 400 and 440 g/acre, lufenuron @ 50 and
55 ml/acre and emamectin benzoate @ 90, 100 and 110
ml/acre, which were followed by thiodicarb @ 440 g/acre,
lufenuron @ 45 ml/acre, spinosad @ 44 ml/acre and
methoxyfenozide @ 110 ml/acre, after 7 days of the
treatments. Same results were reported by Sparks et al. (1996)
for spinosad and emamectin benzoate as well as by
Mascarenhas et al. (1996) for chlorpyrifos and spinosad. The
results of present study are also confirmatory to those of
Adamczyk et al., (1999) who reported that the novel
insecticides like chlorfenapyr, methoxyfenozide, spinosad
and tebufenozide were more effective to the pest. The results
regarding the indoxacarb in our experiment, were also
comparable to those of Hammes et al. (1998) who reported it
very effective against S. litura and safe to many beneficial
insects. The results can also be compared with those of Ahmad
and Saleem (2004) who reported that amongst new chemistry
insecticides, emamectin benzoate and lufenuron resulted in
maximum mortality of S. litura. Ahmad et al., (2005) also
reported that emamectin benzoate proved to be the best
insecticide followed by lufenuron, spinosad and indoxacarb,
respectively in their time-oriented mortality at three
concentration levels against S. litura; however, abamectin
proved to be the least effective to control this pest.
These results also support our findings. The overall results of
this study suggest emamectin benzoate as the best insecticide
along with other new chemistry insecticides a long- lasting
control tactic for the farming community against S. litua.
Lufenuron, indoxacarb, methoxy fenozide and spinosad also
chlorpyrifos (Lorsban® 40EC), methomyl (Lannate® 40SP),
thiodicarb (Larvin® 80DP), lufenuron (Match® 5EC),
abamectin (Agrimec® 1.8EC), emamectin benzoate
(Proclaim® 1.9EC), spinosad (Tracer® 24SC), indoxacarb
(Steward® 15EC) and methoxyfenozide (Runner® 24SC)
were obtained in the form of their commercial formulations
from the respective manufacturers. Three doses for each
insecticide i.e., the recommended dose against S. litura and
10% below and above the recommended dose rate, were
prepared in an Analar grade Acetone. A control treatment of
acetone/distilled water applications was also included, for
each test, to assess the natural mortality rates of the test insect
species.
Bioassay
Ten larvae of S. litura (3rd instar), of uniform age, were
exposed to three different concentrations of insecticides,
using a leaf-dip technique, as recommended by the
Insecticides Resistance Action Committee (IRAC) of GIFAP
(Anonymous, 1990). Unsprayed cotton leaves, were collected
from the field, washed and dipped into the insecticide
(Treatment) solutions, for ten seconds, with a gentle agitation
and dried on the tissue papers. The dried leaves were then
placed in the petri dishes having a moist filter paper, in order
to avoid any desiccation. The treatments were observed, after
3 and 7 days for their effects. The effects of test insecticides
were judged on the basis of insect mortality levels, after
certain time periods. The data were analyzed statistically at
5% level of probability using Duncan's Multiple Range Test
and the insecticides were categorized on the basis of
percentage mortality, as; Harmless (<50% mortality);
Slightly harmful (50-79% mortality); Moderately harmful
(80-89% mortality) and Harmful (>90% mortality) (Khan,
2010, unpublished data).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The data regarding the percentage-mortality of the larvae of
Spodoptera litura after 3 and 7 days of the insecticide
treatments were found significantly different (Table 1). It is
obvious from the data that 100% mortality was observed after
3 days of treatment application with emamectin benzoate at
the dose rate of 100 and 110 ml/acre. While complete
mortality of the larvae was observed after 7 days of treatment
application when larvae were treated at the dose rate of 90
ml/acre of emmamectin benzoate. The mortality was also
found to be 100% after 7 days of application at all the dose
rates of lufenuron. The higher dose rate of chlorpyrifos (1100
ml/acre) also proved highly toxic as 96.56 % mortality was
observed in the treated larvae after 3 days. The mortality of the
larvae reached 100% after 7 days in all the treatments of
chlorpyrifos. However, the lower dose rate of profenofos (450
ml/acre) proved slightly toxic as the treatments caused 66.67
% mortality even after 7 days of its application. The results
documented by Ahmad and Arif (2009) are in partial
agreement with our findings. They reported very low or no
resistance in Earias vittella to emamectin benzoate and
profenofos. Ahmad and Arif (2010) reported that very low
Cite this article as: Khan, R.R., S. Ahmed and S. Nisar, 2011. Mortality responses of Spodoptera litura (Fab.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) against some
conventional and new chemistry insecticides under laboratory conditions. Pak. Entomol., 33(2): 147-150.
148
Khan et al. / Pakistan Entomologist 2011, 33(2): 147-150
proved to be the effective insecticides after emamectin,
respectively.
Table. 1
Percentage mortality (means±SE) of Spodoptera litura after 3 and 7 days of the insecticide applications.
Treatments
Insecticides
Dose
Mortality (%)
Mortality (%)
(means±SE)
(means±SE)
(g or ml /acre)
3 DAA
7 DAA
T1
Profenofos (Curacron 50EC)
450
36.67±3.33l
66.67±3.33efg
T2
Profenofos (Curacron 50EC)
500
46.68±3.34jkl
76.67±3.35cdef
T3
Profenofos (Curacron 50EC)
550
53.34±3.32hijkl
86.66±3.31abc
T4
Chlorpyrifos (Lorsban 40EC)
900
73.33±3.35cdefg
100.00±0.00a
T5
Chlorpyrifos (Lorsban 40EC)
100
0
83.23±2.34ab
100.00±0.00a
T6
Chlorpyrifos (Lorsban 40EC)
1100
96.56±2.33ab
100.00±0.00a
T7
Methomyl (Lennate 40SP)
360
63.32±4.13efghij
83.34±3.33bcd
T8
Methomyl (Lennate 40SP)
400
76.67±3.32cdefg
100.00±0.00a
T9
Methomyl (Lennate 40SP)
440
83.34±3.33abcd
100.00±0.00a
T10
Thiodicarb (Larvin 80DP)
360
66.67±6.27defghi
73.32±3.34cdef
T11
Thiodicarb (Larvin 80DP)
400
73.31±3.33cdefg
80.00±0.00bcde
T12
Thiodicarb (Larvin 80DP)
440
80.21±1.20bcde
93.34±3.35ab
T13
Lufenuron (Match 5EC)
45
66.67±3.33defghi
93.33±3.23ab
T14
Lufenuron (Match 5EC)
50
76.62±3.31cdef
100.00±0.00a
T15
Lufenuron (Match 5EC)
55
86.67±3.35abc
100.00±0.00a
T16
Abamectin (Agrimec 1.8EC)
180
36.65±3.23l
53.31±3.35g
T17
Abamectin (Agrimec 1.8EC)
200
43.33±2.36kl
63.34±3.36fg
T18
Abamectin (Agrimec 1.8EC)
220
50.00±1.20ijkl
73.41±4.12cdef
T19
Emamectin benzoate (Proclaim 1.9EC)
90
83.31±3.34abcd
100.00±0.00a
T20
Emamectin benzoate (Proclaim 1.9EC)
100
100.00±0.00a
100.00±0.00a
T21
Emamectin benzoate (Proclaim 1.9EC)
110
100.00±0.00a
100.00±0.00a
T22
Spinosad (Tracer 24SC)
36
66.67±3.33defghi
76.67±3.33cdef
T23
Spinosad (Tracer 24SC)
40
70.00±0.00cdefgh
86.66±3.32abc
T24
Spinosad (Tracer 24SC)
44
76.57±2.89cdef
93.33±3.33ab
T25
Indoxacarb (Steward 15SC)
90
53.36±3.31hijkl
70.00±0.00def
T26
Indoxacarb (Steward 15SC)
100
60.00±1.02fghijk
76.68±3.36cdef
T27
Indoxacarb (Steward 15SC)
110
66.67±3.29defghi
83.34±3.34bcd
T28
Methoxyfenozide (Runner 24SC)
90
56.67±3.31cdefgh
76.59±4.33cdef
T29
Methoxyfenozide (Runner 24SC)
100
70.00±0.00cdefgh
83.33±3.33bcd
T30
Methoxyfenozide (Runner 24SC)
110
76.67±2.91cdef
93.23±3.29ab
T31
Control
0.00±0.00m
Column wise means sharing similar letters do not differ significantly, at 0.05 probability level.
0.000±0.000h
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conventional and new chemistry insecticides under laboratory conditions. Pak. Entomol., 33(2): 147-150.
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Cite this article as: Khan, R.R., S. Ahmed and S. Nisar, 2011. Mortality responses of Spodoptera litura (Fab.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) against some
conventional and new chemistry insecticides under laboratory conditions. Pak. Entomol., 33(2): 147-150.
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