ENTOMOCIDAL POTENTIAL OF BOTANICAL EXTRACTS AGAINST JASSID (AMARASCA BIGUTTULA BIGUTTULA) IN OKRA ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS L.

Okra a verdant vegetable, is a member of the Malvacae family. Many insect pests attack okra crop but jassid (Amrasca biguttula biguttula) is one of the most devastating sucking pests causing significant losses. Laboratory and field investigations were carried out to find out the efficacy of biopesticides against the jassid, on okra crop at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Punjab, Lahore. A. Esculentus seeds were sown in a randomized complete block design with four replications in March 2023. Treatments applied were T0 (control), T1 Citrullus colocynthisis extract), T2 (Datura stramonium stramonium extract), T3 (Eucalyptus globulus extract), T4 (Ferula assafoetida extract), T5 (Nicotiana tabacum extract), and T6 (Detergent) as the least hazardous chemical for comparison. A 20% v/v concentration of each treatment was applied as the pest population peaked. Pre-treatment observations were made 24 hours before the application of biopesticides, while post-treatment observations were made at 24, 48, and 72-hour intervals, as well as after one week and ten days. The results showed that all the bio-pesticides reduced the jassid population by up to one-week intervals under laboratory and field conditions. Under field conditions, the N. tabacum extracts reduced the per leaf population up to 78%) followed by F. assafoetida (77%), C. colocynthisis (63%), E. globulus (51%), D. stramonium (42%) and Detergent (25%). In the contrary, no significant differences were observed among N. tabacum extract, F. assafoetida, and C. colocynthisis extracts after 72 hours. It is concluded that bio-pesticides derived from N. tabacum, F. assafoetida, and C. colocynthis are highly effective to combat the jassid infestation.