Effect of Neem Pesticide (Achook) on Midgut Enzymatic Activities and Selected Biochemical Compounds in the Hemolymph of Lesser Mulberry Pyralid, Glyphodes Pyloalis Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Synthetic organic compounds and those of plant origin used in insect pest control are known to affect digestive enzymes and biochemical compounds. The lesser mulberry pyralid Glyphodes pyloalis Walker is a monophagous and dangerous pest of mulberry that has been recently observed in Guilan province, northern Iran. In this study the effect of the neem formulation, Achook (0.03% azadirachtin) was studied on nutritional physiology and gut enzyme activity of the lesser mulberry pyralid G. pyloalis. The LC25, LC50, and LC90 values on 4th instar larvae were estimated as 113.6, 256.84, and 1,210.02 ppm, respectively. The neem insecticide exhibited a significant antifeedant activity when used at the highest concentration. When G. pyloalis larvae were provided with mulberry leaves treated with the neem extract, all nutritional indices, except approximate digestibility, decreased. Neem was found to affect digestive enzyme activities in the midgut of treated larvae. When larvae were fed on treated leaves, biochemical compounds in the hemolymph, such as protein, lipid, and glucose decreased but the amount of uric acid increased compared with the control.