Abstract
Botanical insecticides play a crutial role in organic agriculture by suppressing pest populations and reducing crop damage. However, their impact on beneficial insects remains insufficiently studied. This study aims to assess the toxicity of three botanical insecticides on the most common predatory insect species in plum orchards. The experiment was conducted in 2024 at the Entomology laboratory of the Fruit Growing Institute – Plovdiv. The active ingredients – orange oil, pyrethrum and Urtica spp. – were tested against Adalia bipunctata (Coccinellidae), Macrolophus pygmaeus (Miridae), Orius majusculus (Anthocoridae) and Chrysoperla carnea (Chrysopidae). The predatory bug Orius majusculus was the most susceptible to all tested botanical products, followed by Macrolophus pygmaeus. Adults of the two-spotted ladybeetle (Adalia bipunctata) showed the highest resistant to all tested products, followed by Crysoperla carnea larvae. By the seventh day after treatment, all tested products exhibited 100% toxicity.
Keywords: botanical insecticides, orange oil, Urtica spp., pyrethrum, predators, side effect