Evaluation in the Laboratory of the Effects of Natural Substance Fractions, Cleome viscosa, Capsicum annuum and Strophantus hispidus on Diachasmimorpha longicaudata Parasitoid of the Fruit Flies, Bactrocera dorsalis and Ceratitis spp.

Diachasmimorpha longicaudata is successfully used to control Bactrocera dorsalis and Ceratitis species. Despite its widespread use as a biological agent, a limited number of studies reflect its pesticide-induced mortality. This scarcity highlights the need for studies on pesticide toxicity for the successful implementation of biological programs. Hence, the study of mortality tests on D. longicaudata through different fractions of C. viscosa, C. annuum and S. hispidus was carried out. The aim of the study was to determine the mortality of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata in relation to each fraction. 1.5ml of each fraction was poured into a vial containing 0.25g of cotton. Then, 20 parasitoids were sucked in and placed in the flasks, which were then covered with canvas and held in place with rubber bands. This operation was repeated 5 times for each fraction. The insects were observed after 24h and 72h, considering that insects which did not respond to the touch of a fine brush were dead. Cleome viscosa fractions were not toxic to D. longicaudata after 24h. The insects died because of the chloroform and methanol fraction of Cleome viscosa (2.15%) after 72h. The fraction of C. annuum in acetone (13.8%) and S. hispidus in methanol (9.2%) caused parasitoid mortality. After 72 h, high mortality of D. longicaudata was observed with S. hispidus in ethyl acetate with a sensitivity rate of 33.35%, C. annuum in chloroform (24.5%) and S. hispidus in methanol (20.45%). These tests revealed that the ethyl acetate fraction of S. hispidus was highly toxic to D. longicaudata.