Kaolin particle film repellent effect against the wild cochineal Dactylopius opuntiae and its impact on cactus pear health.

ABSTRACT: Opuntia ficus-indica (L.), a cactus, a critical crop in Morocco, has been severely damaged by Dactylopius opuntiae since its introduction in 2014. This study evaluated the insecticidal and preventive effects of kaolin clay against D. opuntiae females and nymphs under laboratory and field conditions and assessed its impact on the physiological parameters of health and wettability of cactus cladodes. Laboratory cage experiments revealed that Kaolin-treated cladodes (30 g/L) had significantly fewer colonies (3.67) than water-treated controls (7.33) after 42 days, with stable evolution up to 60 days. Choice tests showed more nymphs on untreated cladodes (7) than on treated ones (3) after one day. No-choice tests revealed significantly higher nymph mortality on kaolin-treated cladodes (75 dead

SUBMITTER: Ramdani C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12749456 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature