Piscicidal Activity of Thevetia peruviana Latex against Freshwater Fish in Laboratory and Cement Plastering Pond Conditions

The use of natural pesticides derived from plants has recently gained popularity as a way to reduce the dangers of organic and synthetic pesticides. Botanicals are poisonous to fish, which are referred to as piscicides. The present study assesses the piscicidal activity of (i.e., acetone, diethyl ether, ethyl alcohol, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride) latex extracts of Thevetia peruviana (Pers.) L. Schum. (Family: Apocynaceae) against Labeo rohita (Hamilton) in both conditions. Labeo rohita (5.50±0.6 cm length and 362 mg weight) were collected from the Gorakhpur district, Uttar Pradesh, India. Latex was collected and lyophilized at -40°C and the lyophilized powder was used for further study. During the study, 50 animals were stocked in cement plastering pond condition in 50 L dechlorinated tap water for 24h, 48h, 72h, and 96h, and 10 animals were kept in laboratory condition in 10 L dechlorinated tap water, with observations conducted over the same time intervals. Toxicity of all the organic solvents Thevetia peruviana plant was time as well as dose-dependent against freshwater fish. There was a significant (P<0.05) negative correlation between LC values and exposure periods. Thevetia peruviana plant decreased from 3.62 mgL-1 (24h)> 2.69 mgL-1 (48h) in laboratory conditions and 7.86 mgL-1 (24h) > 7.24 mgL-1 (48h) in cement plastering pond condition against fish. The same trend of toxicity was also observed in the case of other solvents i.e., diethyl ether, ethyl alcohol, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride latex extracts of Thevetia peruviana against Labeo rohita in both conditions. Toxicity assessment LC50 values and behavioural changes in fish are particularly sensitive markers of pesticide toxicity. The fish's overall health is affected by behavioural changes. Thevetia peruviana medicinal plant is used as a better cathartic, febrifuge useful in different kinds of intermittent fever while the latex of this plant is used in teeth cavities for relief from toothache.