Pyrrolizidine alkaloids of Seneciorudbeckiaefoliousin pest control of Diatraeasaccharalis

TERÁN, PAULA MARÍA; SÁNCHEZ MATÍAS MARIANA DEL HUERTO; AJMAT, MARÍA TERESA

Tucumán

Jornada; XXXIV Jornadas Científicas de la Asociación de Biología de Tucumán; 2017

Asociación de Biología de Tucumán

Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is the most relevant pest affecting sugar cane crops in Tucumán. The butterflies lay eggs onthe leaves, the neonate larvae feed on the pod and then pierce the stem of the cane, forming galleries within, which reduces the flow ofwater and nutrients and enables the entry of other pathogens. Infestation by this insect produces losses in both farming and manufacturing.Current research aims at seeking natural bioactive products of plant or microbial origin that are able to exert a toxic effect on the crop?spest organisms. The aim of this work is to study the lethal and sublethal effects of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (AP) isolated from Seneciorudbeckiaefolious on D. saccharalis larvae. Toxicity assays by forced intake were carried out with batches of 32 neonate larvae fed on APimpregnateddiet at 50-200 mg/L concentrations and unimpregnated diet for control. Three replications were performed. After 14 days thenumber of live larvae, dead larvae and larval stage were recorded and sublethal effects were controlled until pupal formation. Dosedependenttoxic effects were observed with a high percentage of mortality (70-90%) and growth inhibition, which prevented survivinglarvae from reaching the pupal stage. These data indicate that this natural product is promising as a potential biopesticide for the control ofD. saccharalis.