Management of rice leaf folder (Cnaphalocrocis medinalis Guenée) in Bangladesh: Evaluating the pesticidal efficacy of some botanicals an eco-friendly alternative

The rice leaf folder (RLF) is one of the major insect pests of rice, causing significant yield losses and management of this pests mostly depends on synthetic insecticide applications, which poses environmental and health hazards. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of selected botanical insecticides compared to a synthetic insecticide for managing RLF populations under both laboratory and in planta conditions. The study employed a Complete Randomized Design with three replications and eight treatments: evaluating six botanicals including neem oil (2.50 % concentration) and mahogany seed kernel powder (10 % concentration), comparing with one synthetic insecticide Curtap and one untreated control. Results indicated that the synthetic insecticide ‘Curtap’ achieved the highest larval mortality (93.33 %) under both conditions, followed closely by neem oil (90.00 % in laboratory and 83.33 % in planta), indicating its potential as an effective botanical insecticide at 72 h after treatment. Mahogany seed kernel powder also exhibited significant efficacy, causing 70.00 % and 66.67 % mortality in laboratory and in planta conditions, respectively. While other botanicals demonstrated comparatively lower efficacy. Both neem oil and Curtap significantly reduced larval weight (0.63 mg and 0.38 mg) and adult longevity (4.33 days and 3.67 days), while untreated controls exhibited the longest longevity (11.33 days), indicating their inhibitory impact on RLF growth, development, feeding behavior and reproductive suppression. The F 1 adult emergence was completely inhibited by Curtap, while neem oil and mahogany seed kernel powder significantly reduced F 1 emergence to 1.33 adults, exhibiting their potential to disrupt RLF reproduction. Present findings highlight the potential of neem oil followed by mahogany seed kernel powder, as eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic insecticides for RLF management. Integrating these botanicals into insect pest management strategies, specifically for RLF, could reduce pesticide dependency while ensuring sustainable rice production. • Similar potentiality was showed by neem oil with curtap (control) for mortality, larval weight reduction, F 1 emergence & adult longevity • Longevity of adults rice leaf folder (RLF) was shortest in neem oil (4.33 days) and Curtap (3.67 days). • While untreated controls exhibited the longest longevity (11.33 days), demonstrating the reproductive suppression effect of neem oil • Neem oil might be used as eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic insecticides for RLF management followed by mahogany seed kernel powder.