Effect of Calotropis gigantea (L.) W.T. Aiton. on pink mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

The effect of aqueous extracts of different parts of Calotropis gigantea on female adult Maconellicoccus hirsutus was studied. The percent mortality ranged between 28.30 to 86.67, 33.30 to 91.67 and 40.00 to 93.33 at 24, 48 and 72 HAE, respectively. Among the parts tested, maximum mortality was observed in leaf with 86.67, 91.67 and 93.33% which was statistically on par with fruit pericarp showing mortality of 81.67, 88.33 and 90.00% at 24, 48 and 72 HAE, respectively. Initially flower followed leaf and fruit pericarp but its efficacy increased with time and was on par with both of them at 48 and 72 HAE. LC₅₀ values for fruit pericarp were 2.895% followed by leaf (3.055%) and flower (3.560%).