Evaluation of the insecticide action of five Argentine plants onTribolium castaneum, pest of stored grains

CUFFRE, I.; TARCAYA, V.; CATALANO, A.; LÓPEZ P.G.; CLEMENTE S.V.; BROUSSALIS A.M.

Punta Cana

Congreso; XXIV SILAE Congress. II International congress of integrative medicine; 2015

Società Italo-Latinoamericana di Etnomedicina

Plant biodiversity creates ecological niches that host a variety of herbivores and predators. These ones self-regulate each other and maintain a dynamic balance that avoids a population of herbivores becomes a pest (1, 2). Plants are a potential source of active principles. The phytochemical study of native plants and the identification of their secondary metabolites with biological anti-herbivore action that alters their behavior, growth and development, is relevant in the field to design bioinsecticides allowing the replacement of synthetic inputs by other organic alternatives. Compounds not affecting the man and his environment are searched (3).Solidago chilensis (Asteraceae), Senecio crassiflorus (Asteraceae), Ovidia andina(Thymelaeaceae), Lithraea molleoides (Anacardiaceae) and Hybanthus bigibbosus (Violaceae)were selected to assess the adverse effects of their CH2Cl2 and MeOH extracts in Tribolium castaneum ingestion and inhalation trials and then characterize and identify their active compounds. Ingestion trials gave significant mortality with S. crassiflorus CH2Cl2 and MeOH extracts (81and 74%, 50.000ppm), O. andina CH2Cl2 extract (30%, 5.000ppm) and H.bigibbosus, with sublethal effects (changes in the life cycle) in all evaluated extracts Inhalation trials gave significant mortality with L. molleoides CH2Cl2 extract (70%, 10.000ppm).S. crassiflorus CH2Cl2 and MeOH extracts and S. chilensis MeOH extract produced insects immobility for 24 hours. These extracts were analyzed by TLC and HPLC and some of their components were characterized and identified. These promising results allow to continue the bioassay-guided phytochemical study of insecticidal activity of the five species and could contribute to the development of a natural insecticide, safe for human health and the environment.Bibliography1- Nicholls, C.I. Agroecología. 5: 7-22, 2010.2- Nicholls, C.I., Altieri, M.A. Agroecología. 6: 28-37, 2012.3- Céspedes, C.,et al. Rev. Latinoamer. Quím. 42: 113-132, 2014.