A Bioassay for Plant-Derived Pest Control Agents Using the European Corn Borer12

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Abstract
A bioassay procedure for detecting and evaluating pest control agents in plant extracts has been developed using Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner). Ground seeds are extracted with petroleum ether and ethanol successively; the extracts are mixed with an artificial diet and tested with 7-day-old larvae. Mortality is generally determined after 3, 9, and 29 days. Data are evaluated by means of computer-facilitated statistical analysis. Those extracts exhibiting significantly higher mortality than controls are ranked on the basis of a rating scale. Of 72 plant species representing 36 families, 12 ethanol extracts and 9 petroleum ether extracts have shown strong toxicity and are being fractionated and tested further. The 3 most toxic ethanol extracts were obtained from Berrya ammonilla Roxb., Thevetia thevetioides (HBK.) K. Schum., and Bassia hyssopifolia (Pall.) Kuntze. The 2 most toxic petroleum ether extracts were obtained from Bauhinia vahlii Wight and Am. and Apium sellowianum H. Wolff. All 5 of these extracts gave 100% larval mortality for the corn borer.

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