Abstract
Cabbage white butterfly, Pieris brassicae (L., 1758) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), is one of the severe insect pests of cabbage crop which causes remarkable quantitative or qualitative crop losses. The effect of different new chemistry insecticides (thiamethoxam 25% SP, acetamiprid 20% SP and pyriproxyfen 10.8% EC) and four botanical extracts, Aloe vera (L.) Burm. f. leaves, grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi Macfad.) bark, spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) leaves and neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) leaves, on the feeding behavior, larval growth and mortality of P. brassicae was studied at University of Sargodha (Pakistan). The study showed that neem extracts at 7% had a significant effect on growth parameters of P. brassicae. The relative growth rate was the lowest (3.05 +/- 0.27 mg/mg/d) when neem extract was applied at 7% and higher (8.59 +/- 1.38 mg/mg/d) when grapefruit extract was applied at 5% after the control treatment. In comparison to control treatment, relative feed consumption rate of P. brassicae and the efficiency of conversion of ingested food decreased to 66 and 58%, respectively, after the application of neem extract at 7%. Neem extracts at 7% caused up to 65% larval mortality. The neem extract (7%) in combination with pyriproxyfen also caused the significant stress on the larvae. So, neem extracts at 7% alone or in combination with insecticides can be used for control of P. brassicae in vegetable crops for a safer food supply.