Impact of the Argemone mexicana Stem Extracts on the Reproductive Fitness and Behavior of Adult Dengue Vector, Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae)

ABSTR ACT: Present investigations evaluated the impact of Argemone mexicana stem extracts on the reproductive fitness of dengue vector, Aedes aegypti, assessed in terms of oviposition deterrent and ovicidal potential. The oviposition deterrent studies of the extracts, prepared using petroleum ether, hexane, benzene, acetone, and ethanol as the solvents, revealed the maximum deterrence potency of the petroleum ether extracts with a significant 15.6 % ED at 60 ppm rising by 83.8 % at 1000 ppm to 99.4 % effective deterrence (ED). Other stem extracts were found to be ineffective at 60 ppm, though resulted in 85.3–96.2 % ED and diminished fecundity in A. aegypti at 1000 ppm. Further, A. mexicana stem extracts exhibited moderate ovicidal potential against A. aegypti eggs causing only 42.65–67.85 % egg mortality at 1000 ppm, the lowest hatch of 32.15 % caused by the benzene extract. Other stem extracts also failed to express effective ovicidal potency with the percent egg hatch ranging between 96.6 and 99.0 at 400 ppm, and 78.8 and 99.0 at 600 ppm. Our results suggest the significant but variable efficacy of A. mexicana stem extracts causing reproductive disadvantage in A. aegypti. KEY WORDS: Argemone, oviposition deterrence, ovicidal, egg hatchability, effective deterrenc