REPELLENCE EFFECTS OF RED CHILI AND BLACK PEPPER OLEORESINS AGAINST AGRICULTURALLY IMPORTANT SUCKING PESTS

A study was carried out to evaluate red chili and black pepper oleoresins’ repellence against Citrus psyllids (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama), Red spider mites (Tetranychus urticae Koch), Cotton aphids (aphis gosippi Glover) and Cotton mealy bug (Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley) at laboratory conditions. In filter paper half of the portion was treated with one ml of respective solution using pipette and air dried under room condition. After they placed into 80 mm petriplates.  Then the insects (15 nos ) were released into it and the repellency was recorded at 6 hrs interval. The results revealed that at 1% concentration, the red chili oleoresin possessed the highest repellence against aphids (100%), followed by red spider mites (86.66%) and psyllids (69.33%). The highest repellence (51.20%) in mealybugs was noticed only at the maximum concentration tested (5%).At 1% concentration, repellence was very minimal (25.33%). A similar trend was recorded in black pepper oleoresin also. Both the spice oleoresins had the highest repellence against cotton aphids. Phytotoxicity studies on 25 and 45 days old cotton plants revealed no symptoms at concentrations from 0.1 to 1%. At higher concentrations tested, some minor leaf and boll injuries appeared, and later, the plants recovered.