Bioefficacy of Jatropha curcas L. (Euphorbiaceae) on pests

Jatropha curcas(L.) belongs to family Euphorbiaceae. Laboratory and field investigations were carried out to assess the biological activity of Jatropha curcas L. (Euphorbiaceae) seed, oil and meal extract against the four selected pests species which are pests on four different types of crops viz., Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera) causing severe damage to the fruit crop, musk melon; Adult whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera) attacking the vegetable crop tomato, Leaf folder, Cnaphalocrosis medinalis (Lepidoptera) which damages the cereal crop rice and Bihar hairy caterpillar, Diacrisia obliqua (Lepidoptera) which attacks the commercial oilseed crop, groundnut. Antifeedant and insecticidal properties of all the 63 extracts were studied in lab and also under field conditions.The seed, oil and meal extracts contain phorbol esters which are the toxic components mainly responsible for the toxic effect on the pests. Jatropha curcas seeds can be used as a botanical insecticide which can be routed as one of the viable alternatives to synthetic chemical insecticides for integrated pest management as these natural compounds pose little threat to the environment or to human health.