title: Field evaluation of a botanical formulation from the milky mangrove Excoecaria agallocha L. against Helicoverpa armigera Hübner. in Abelmoschus esculentus (lady's finger) and Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate a formulation from the milky mangrove tree Excoecaria agallocha L. (E. agallocha) against Helicoverpa armigera Hubner (H. armigera).
  
  
  METHODS
  About 3% aqueous ethanolic spray formulation derived from the lipophilic extract of E. agallocha (dry leaf) was evaluated against H. armigera in Abelmoschus esculentus (lady's finger) and Cajanus cajan (C. cajan) (pigeon pea), under field conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the 9th day of the 4th spray the larval count in the plot treated with 3% E. agallocha formulation drastically came down to 0.23 larva/plant, compared to 1.63 in the ethanol control plot and 1.60 in the unsprayed plot. Blocks sprayed with 3% E. agallocha formulation yielded 35.8 quintals/hectare (q/ha) of healthy pods compared to Ekalux® (pod yield: 60.7 q/ha), 3% Vijay Neem® (60.22 q/ha), yield plot (6 q/ha) and ethanol control (7 q/ha). In C. cajan, 1% E. agallocha, 3% Nimbecidine® and 0.07% indoxacarb were equally potent in reducing the larval population of H. armigera and the non-target pest Spilosoma obliqua to 0%, from the 9th day (3rd spray). Indoxacarb plot recorded the maximum yield of 16.1 q/ha with 2.4% pod damage. Plots sprayed with 1% E. agallocha yielded 14.7 q/ha with 2.32% pod damage. The effect of 3% Nimbecidine® spray (14.35 q/ha) was comparable to E. agallocha formulation. Unsprayed and ethanol control plots yielded 12.41 and 11.2 q/ha of pods with an average pod damage of 4.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  E. agallocha formulation was found to be promising for the control of H. armigera, under field conditions.
authors.affiliation: Tissue Culture and Bioprospecting Laboratory, M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), 3rd Cross Street, Taramani, Chennai-600 113, India; Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences (CNCS), School of Graduate Studies (SGS), Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia. Electronic address: dr.satyanrs@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Satyan Ramachandran
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Santhanam
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences (CNCS), School of Graduate Studies (SGS), Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Meseret C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Egigu
keywords: Abelmoschus esculentus; Cajanus cajan; Ethanolic formulation; Excoecaria agallocha L.; Helicoverpa armigera; Random block design