INSECTICIDE ACTIVITY OF TERPENES AGAINST TRIBOLIUM CASTANEUM HERBST (COLEOPTERA: TENEBRIONIDAE) AND SITOPHILUS ZEAMAIS MOTSCHULSKY (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE).

HERRERA JM; PIZZOLITTO RP; DAMBOLENA JS; ZYGADLO JA; ZUNINO MP

La Falda

Jornada; XIX Jornadas Científicas de la Sociedad de Biología de Córdoba; 2013

Sociedad de Biología de Córdoba

The stored products are attacked by many beetle pests. Essential oils and its main compounds (terpenes) are interest alternative to synthetic insecticides and have little or no harmful effect on human health. The aims of this study are: 1) to evaluate insecticidal activity of terpenes with different functional groups against maize pests (T. castaneum and S. zeamais); 2) to evaluate insecticidal activity of essential oils whose main components contain the functional group with the highest insecticidal activity against S. zeamais, selected to aim 1).  According to previous research, the most toxic terpenes have been tested in contact and fumigant toxicity assays. In addition, essential oil and their mains components were tested in fumigant assay. The most bioactive terpenes were: ketones> phenols> ethers> hydrocarbons> alcohols. Essential oils rich in ketones from Aphyllocladus decussatus Hieron, Aloysia polystachya Griseb, Minthostachys verticillata Griseb Epling, Tagetes minuta L. and its major components: α-thujone, carvone, pulegone and ocimenone, respectively, were selected. M. verticillata and its main compound, pulegone, were the most bioactive (LC50= 116.6 µL/L y 11.8 µL/L, respectively). In conclusion, the essential oils rich in ketones could be used as potential fumigants against stored product insects.