B. Ahmad - Department of Plant Protection, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan.
N. Mehmood - Department of Plant Protection, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan.
K. Sohail - Department of Entomology, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan.
A. U. R. Saljoqi - Department of Plant Protection, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan.
A. Khan - Department of Plant Protection, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan.
A. Rab - Department of Agronomy, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan.
H. Zada - Department of Plant Protection, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan.
S. Hussain - Department of Plant Protection, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar-Pakistan.

The study investigated the toxicity of Parthenium extracts in comparison with Neem extracts against ۳rd and ۴th instar larvae of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L.. The side effect of Parthenium extracts was also examined against larval parasitoid, Cotesia plutellae. Extracts obtained from their respective plants were dissolved independently to get stock solutions, which were further diluted to different concentrations (۱%, ۲%, and ۳%) with distilled water. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design with four treatments, including the control, and replicated six times in vitro. Results showed that Parthenium crude extracts was very effective in comparison with the control against P. xylostella, whilst the highest mortality was recorded at ۳% concentration of Neem in comparison with Parthenium extracts against both stages of P. xylostella. Overall, the highest mortality was recorded at ۳% concentration of Neem extracts followed by ۲% Neem extracts, ۳% Parthenium extracts, ۱% neem, ۲% and ۱% Parthenium extracts. The lowest mortality was noted in the control (i.e. ۷۰%, ۵۸.۳۳%, ۵۱.۶۷%, ۳۵%, ۳۳.۳۳%, ۱۸.۳۳% and ۱۶.۶۷% in case of ۳rd instar mortality whilst ۶۱.۶۷%, ۵۰%, ۴۱.۶۷%, ۳۰%, ۱۶.۶۷% and ۱۵% in case of ۴th instar mortality, respectively). Less harmful effect was observed for larval parasitoid, C. plutellae. Finally, it was concluded that all the treatments had the ability to control P. xylostella to some extent, but Parthenium crude extract was less efficient in comparison with Neem extract, as ۳% crude extract of Neem had a sufficiently toxic effect on the P. xylostella.

Botanical insecticide, Cabbage, Cotesia plutellae, Larval parasitoid, Toxicity