Researches concerning the efficacy of some vegetal metabolites in the control of Colorado potato beetle (Coleoptera – Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say)

Abstract

The researches are framed in the tendency of intensifying of studies of secondary metabolites with insecticide properties in order to develop natural insecticides or to include them in the transgenic organisms. It is considerate that only a small amount of the plant biodiversity was studied. The efficacies of some vegetal secondary metabolites in the control of Colorado potato beetle were tested. The experiments were carried out at the Agricultural Research Station from Suceava, in field conditions. High mortality degrees were obtained applying aqueous extracts of autochthones plants as lady fern - Athirium filix-femina, birthwort - Aristolochia clematitis, the nettle - Urtica dioica, thus - Arthemisia absinthum as well as combinations of tansy - Tanacetum vulgare with Arthemisia abinthum and Tanacetum vulgare with the danewort - Sambucus nigra. Some plant extracts presented also phytotoxic effects.