Assessment of soil treatment with neem cake on larval mortality of Bactrocera dorsalis in the lab

In their life cycle, last stage larvae of B. dorsalis leave fruits to pupate in soil. The objective of this study is to evaluate neem cake effect on larval mortality.

Sterilized beach sand was used as pupation medium. Three treatments, using three replicates were made: neem cake 1 (extracted oil), neem cake 2 (without extracted oil),

and control. Three groups of 10 larvae were placed randomly into three treated soil samples: neem cake 1, neem cake 2, and control.

Two weeks after, the mortality of larvae was recorded as well pupal mortality.