Insecticidal and repellent activity of Tagetes essential oils from Tucumán (Arg.) against Ceratitis capitata and Triatoma infestans

LÓPEZ SB, ZYGADLO JA, ARAGÓN LM, TERESCHUK ML, SLANIS AC, FERESIN GE, TAPIA A, LÓPEZ ML

San Luis, Argentina

Congreso; XXVII Congreso Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2009

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

We evaluated the toxic and repellent potential of essential oils from Tagetes species collected in Tucumán, Argentina. Fresh aerial parts were subjected to hydro distillation for 2h in a type Clevenger apparatus. Chemical composition was carried out by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The oil yields were 1.34 %w/w (6.7 mL) and 0.92% w/w (5.6 mL) for T. minuta and T. rupestris, respectively. Twelve components were identified in the essential oil from T. minuta, representing 94.75% of the oil while 9 components represented 96.62 % of the oil from T. rupestris including one unidentified peak. Main compounds were: dihydrotagetone, (E)-β-ocimene, (Z)-tagetone, (E)-tagetone, (Z)-ocimenone and (E)-ocimenone. Doses of 50 and 100 mg/insect caused significantly higher mortality on C. capitata males  than that of the control. On the other hand, repellent activity of Tagetes essential oils was assayed against T. infestans according to standard method. Mean repellency was 94.67 % and 81.33 % for T. minuta and T. rupestris respectively, both cases were classified into the highest repellent class (class V).  We are grateful to ProCEM-San Juan for providing C. capitata individuals and to Serv, Nac. Chagas, Cba., for T. infestans nymphs. Financial support was from CICITCA (I905), ANPCyT (PICT ´07- 01468) and CONICET (PIP´08 0407).