Mosquitocidal Susceptibility and Non-Target Effects of Tricholoma equestre (L.) P. Kumm. On the Immature Stages of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus in Hasselquist), Anopheles stephensi Liston and Culex quinquefasciatus Say

Abstract

The worldwide scientific community is well aware that mosquitoes are the sole agents responsible for transmitting various dreadful diseases and critical illnesses caused by vector-borne pathogens. The primary objective of this current research was to evaluate the effectiveness of methanol extract from Tricholoma equestre (L.) P. Kumm. in controlling the early life stages of Culex quinquefasciatus Say, Anopheles stephensi Liston, and Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus in Hasselquist). mosquitoes. The larvae, pupae and eggs of these mosquitoes were exposed to four different concentrations (62.5 to 500 ppm). After 120 hours of treatment, the methanol extract of T. equestre exhibited ovicidal activity ranging from 66% to 80% against the eggs of the treated mosquitoes. It also demonstrated promising larvicidal and pupicidal activity with LC50 values of 216-300 and 230-309 ppm against the early life stages of all three mosquito species. Extensive toxicity studies revealed that the methanol extract from T. equestre had no harmful effects on non-target organisms. The Suitability Index (SI) or Predator Safety Factor (PSF) indicated that the methanol extract did not harm Poecilia reticulata Peters 1859, (predatory fish), Gambusia affinis S. F. Baird & Girard 1853, Dragonfly nymph and Diplonychus indicus Venkatesan & Rao 1871 (water-bug). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) analysis identified key compounds, including 3-Butenenitrile, 2-Methyl-(25.319%); 1-Butanol, 2-Nitro-(18.87%) and Oxalic Acid, Heptyl Propyl Ester (21.82%) which may be responsible for the observed activity. Furthermore, the formulation based on the methanol extract demonstrated similar effectiveness against all tre