Efficacy and Difference Growth, Development of AzadirachtinAgainst Spodoptera Litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

A crop pest is any harmful organism that competes for essential resources such as nutrients, water, and sunlight. Azadirachtin, a ‎tetranortriterpenoid derived from Azadirachta indica, has been widely used for its effectiveness in integrated pest management (IPM). This ‎study assessed Azadirachtin’s impact on the mortality, growth inhibition, feeding behavior, and molting disruption of Spodoptera litura (S. ‎litura). Conducted at the Biological Control Laboratory at Can Tho University, Vietnam, the study used artificial diet treatments on larvae ‎collected from a cabbage field. Mortality rates increased rapidly with higher Azadirachtin dosages, reaching 90.7% by day 6 at 1463.10 ppm ‎and 100% by day 12. At lower concentrations, mortality increased more slowly, with 48.3% at 731.55 ppm by day 6 and 35.0% at 365.78 ‎ppm. Larval growth was also impacted, with the highest mortality showing minimal food consumption. Growth was better at lower doses, ‎with larvae at 365.78 ppm growing from 8.35 mm to 14.38 mm. At concentrations of 365.78 ppm and 243.85 ppm, larvae exhibited moder-‎ate molting, but few reached the 5th instar or successfully pupated. Azadirachtin proves to be a sustainable, environmentally friendly alterna-‎tive to synthetic pesticides, reducing ecological impact while managing pest populations effectively‎.