Efficacy of Diatomaceous Earth Based Formulation on Date Moth Ectomyelois ceratoniae. S. Yousfi and J. Mediouni-Ben Jemâa. (Tunisia)

Abstract

The ovicidal potential of a diatomaceous earth based formulation Protect-it® was assessed against eggs of the date moth Ectomyelois ceratoniae. Three doses were tested: 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg. Hatching data showed a high sensitivity of the date moth eggs to the diatomaceous earth based formulation and a clear dose-response relationship was observed. For the doses 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, the respective egg hatching rates were 25, 16 and 3% against 83.33% for the control. Moreover, the percentages of emergence of adults coming from treated eggs were respectively 2, 10 and 20% for the doses 200, 100 and 50 mg/kg against 73.32% for the control. Additionally, results indicated that the diatomaceous earth based formulation exhibited an ovicidal toxicity with corresponding LD50 and LD95 values of 0.019 and 1.307 mg/kg, respectively. This work clearly indicates the interest in the use of diatomaceous earth and its formulations as an alternative for controlling stored date pests.

Keywords

• Dates
• diatomaceous earth
• Ectomyelois ceratoniae
• ovicidal activity
• Protect-it®