author(s)
Gopal P Bharkad, HY Palampalle, BW Narladkar, AS Bannalikar, RJ Zende and SD Ingole

abstract
For getting quick control of tick infestations, chemical or synthetic acaricides are being used continuously in uncontrolled and indiscriminate way. This led to development of Acaricide resistance, pollution of ecosystem, residues in animal products and toxicity in animals and farmers. For assessment of an alternative, two phyto Acaricide oils viz., Neem (Azadirachta indica) and Karanj (Pongamia pinnata) were evaluated to find out efficacy on the off host stage i.e. eggs. The phyto-acaricides individually and in combination (1:1) were tested on 200 eggs each in six replicates and kept in desiccators for 15 days. The hatchability rate reduction (HR %) was observed to be highest (71.20 %) with neem oil (group-I) followed by neem+ karanj oil combination (group-III, 56.20%). The eggs from group-II (Karanj oil) showed the lowest hatchability rate reduction (52%). The hatchability rate (H) in group-IV (Control) was 97.92+0.30 percent. This indicates that the neem oil is individually the most potent herbal Acaricide as compared to Karanj oil, while its combination with Karanj oil increased the efficacy marginally by 8.75 percent than the karanj oil.