Vol. 1, Issue 13, Part E (2015)

Abstract
Mosquitoes are well known as vectors of several disease causing pathogens. The extensive use of synthetic insecticides in the mosquito control strategies resulted to the development of pesticide resistance and fostered environmental deterioration. Hence in recent years plants become alternative source of mosquito control agents. The present study assessed the larvicidal activity of Prosopis juliflora, a dominant invasive weed in wastelands of Madhya Pradesh region, India. Leaf extracts in methanol was used in the range of 10-200 ppm in the laboratory bioassays against third instar larvae of Anopheles subpictus, Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti. The mortality data were recorded after 24 hrs and subjected to probit analysis to determine the lethal concentrations (LC₅₀ and LC₉₀). Amongst all mosquito species An. subpictus larvae showed highest mortality with LC₅₀ 39.19 ppm and LC₉₀ 175.24 ppm followed by Cx. quinquefasciatus with the LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values 59.37 and 243.20 ppm respectively. In case of Ae. aegypti, less mortality was observed in larvae as compared to the other mosquitoes with LC₅₀126.79 and LC₉₀ 457.32 ppm. The results indicate that P. juliflora leaf methanol extract have the potential to be used as an ecofriendly approach for the control of An. subpictus and Culex quinquefasciatus. Further studies on thernscreening, isolation and purification of bioactive phytochemical constituents/compounds followed by in-depth laboratory and field bioassays are needed.