EFFECT OF THE VEGETABLE EXTRACT OF LUFFA ACUTANGULA (L.) ROXB. IN THE CONTROL OF PRATICOLELLA GRISEOLA PFEIFFER

This article explains the effect of Luffa acutangula plant extract against Praticolella griseola (L. Pfeiffer). The trials followed a completely randomized design with two experiments, one by ingestion and the other by contact. Sap was extracted from young leaves of the plant and five treatments were prepared at 12.5%, 25%, 50% and 100% and a control with distilled water. The contact effect of L. acutangula extract reached values higher than 70% mortality for all concentrations over 7 days. The lethal times LT50 and LT95 of the extract were 6.90 days and 12.74 days respectively at the minimum concentration tested by ingestion. On the other hand, by contact they were between one and three days for LT50, and 12 and 13 for LT95 respectively. This allows to affirm that the molluscicidal effect appears by contact after 3 days. The lethal concentrations LC50 and LC95 of the extract were 34% and 97.28% respectively seven days after the test by ingestion; while the LC50 by contact are slightly lower, attributable to the fact that 70% mortality is achieved in less time by contact than by ingestion.