Abstract:
Ripened palmyra fruit is a delicious food
a source with excellent nutritious values and
medicinal properties which can be developed
into many value-added products. Palmyra
palm, scientifically known as Borassus
flabellifer is a tropical wild edible fruit tree
that is globally grown in South Asian
countries such as Sri Lanka, India,
Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia,
The Philippines, and East African countries [1]. In
the Sri Lankan context, it is commonly grown
in the dry zone including Northern and
Eastern provinces. Ripen Palmyra fruits act as
a part of the mission of reducing hunger in
rural communities through direct
consumption as well as developed products
such as drinks, dumplings, candy, jams, etc.
Rapid decomposition of ripened fruits due to
the pest attack renders them un-consumable,
creating food waste and the mission harder.
Generally, fruit pest attacks are prevented
by treating with pesticides including
Pyrethroids, Carbamates, Organochlorines,
and Organophosphates [2]. But with time,
pesticides are identified as a major cause of
environmental pollution as well as a critical
health hazard to humans and animals.
Bioaccumulation, changes in biological
cycles, concentrating in soil and water
sources are some of the environmental
consequences of pesticides and they cause
chronic health issues such as cancers,
immunological disorders, genetic mutations,
neurological disorders, birth defects, and fetal
death [2, 3]. Therefore, scientists have paid
attention towards botanical pesticides in order
to minimize the detrimental impacts of
pesticides and fulfill the pest control aspect.
This study was aimed to identify the infective
pest to the Palmyra fruits and analyze the
insecticidal activity of leaves of Azadirachta
indica (Neem), Justicia adhatoda (Malabar
nut), Citrus × Aurantiifolia (Lime),
Tabernaemontana divaricata (Crape jasmine),
Lantana Camara (Shrub verbena), and flowers
of Tagetes erecta (Marigold) which were
considered as medicinal plants. Identification
of potential botanical insecticide for control
of Palmyra, fruit pest will be a valuable
attempt to increase the utilization of Palmyra
fruit up to its maximum values.
