Larvicidal activity of essential oils of two cultivars of Piper betle (L) against Culex quinquefasciatus.

The larvicidal properties of essential oils of cultivars of Piper betle (L.) Cv. Meetha and Cv. Desawari were evaluated against third instar larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus. The essential oil of Cultivar Desawari was more effective than the essential oil of Cultivar Meetha and exhibited LC50 values of 12.5838 and 9.8622 ppm for former and 20.8673 and 8.9948 ppm for the later after 24 and 48 hours of exposure period. While the LC90 values were 24.1062 and 23.0075 ppm and 32.6546 and 21.5718 ppm after 24 and 48 hours of treatment for Desawari and Meetha, respectively.