Insecticidal effects of aqueous extracts of wild pomegranate peel and seed (Punica granatum L.) against rose aphids, Macrosiphum rosaeformis

Efficacy of wild pomegranate (Punica granatum Linn.) fruit peel and seeds aqueous extract was evaluated for the control of common insect pests aphids (Macrosiphum rosaeformis) and for its influence on useful non-target predators viz., Coccinella septempunctata. Lethal doses of daru peel and seed suggested these became more toxic to aphids after 24 hr of exposure. A significant difference was obtained in percentage aphids reached to untreated leaves over peel extract treated leaves (23:57 and 23:77) and seed extract treated leaves (7:80 and 17:80) at 90 and 180 min time intervals in food choice assays. No significant effect was observed against Coccinella. LC50 values of daru peel and seed extracts along with mixture of three flavonoids (Kaempferol, Quercetin and Myricetin) were assessed at 48 hr values were 34.9, 4.7 and 0.6 mg/ml and at 72 hr these were 16.1, 0.000001 and 0.00001 mg/ml, respectively. In both the cases field bioassays showed affectivity till 7 DAT. Field data indicated that only X1(1 mg/ml) and X2 (0.1 mg/ml) concentrations of mixture were effective till 11 days after treatment. These are the first reports of the toxic effect of wild pomegranate (daru) fruit peel aqueous extract against M. rosaeformis, hence the study suggests possible usage of Punica granatum peel for the control of rose aphids.