EFFECT OF AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF AZADIRACHTA INDICA, MENTHA SPICATA AND MENTHA PIPERITA ON FRUIT FLIES IN CUCUMBER (CUCUMIS SATIVUS) CROPS IN SOUTH OF CÔTE D’IVOIRE

The use of synthetic chemical insecticide against pests in vegetable crops is effective but has harmful consequences for humans and the environment. It is therefore necessary to find effective alternatives to chemical insecticides that are safe for human health and the environment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of aqueous extracts from three local plants, Azadirachta indica, Mentha spicata and M. piperita on the fruit flies Bactrocera cucurbitae and B. dorsalis in cucumber crops in the locality of Dabou. The experimental plot was laid out in a randomised block design, each block comprising eleven sub-plots, including one untreated control plot  and ten treated plots. The aqueous extract of A. indica seeds at concentrations of 30 g/l and 40 g/l proved to be more effective, with average fruit infestation rates of 10.02 ± 0.25 % and 10.19 ± 0.15%, and average infestation reduction rates of 80.05 ± 0.57 % and 81.23 ± 0.92 %. The aqueous extract of A. indica seeds at concentrations of 30 g/l and 40 g/l also resulted in higher average net yields of 67.95 ± 0.21 t/ha and 68.12 ± 0.48 t/ha. The aqueous extract of A. indica seeds could be used as an alternative to chemical insecticides for the control of fruit flies in cucumber cultivation.