COMBINATORIAL STUDIES ON THERMOSENSITIZATION OF NANOENCAPSULATED TEMEPHOS AND CUSCUTA REFLEXA

Nanoencapsulated Temephos and Cuscuta reflexa were found effective against 3 rd instar larvae of Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of various temperature ranges 10 o C, 15 o C, 20 o C and 35 o C on the toxicity of the nanoformulation against both the larval stages. Temephos and Cuscuta reflexa combination were encapsulated by using polyethylene glycol (PEG). The temperature stress of 20°C on the larval stages was found to affect the susceptibility of both mosquitoes. At this temperature, the mortality of the mosquito larvae was found to be most effective than other temperature ranges. The LC50 values were 0.0028, 0.0025 and 0.0019 mg/L against anopheline larvae and 0.0031, 0.0017 and 0.0015 mg/L against culicine larvae after 24, 48 and 72 hrs of exposure. Thus, the nanoencapsulted Temephos and Cuscuta reflexa combination would be an effective approach in mosquito management at this temperature and is not species specific.