Bioactivity of essential oils from Artemisia against Diaphania hyalinata and its selectivity to beneficial insects

Abstract

The demand for effective insecticides in pest control with low toxicity to the nontarget organisms, such as natural enemies and pollinators, is increasing steadily. A good alternative for synthetic insecticides is natural compounds, including essential oils (EO). This work assessed toxicity of essential oils extracted from Artemisia annua, A. absinthium, A. camphorata, A. dracunculus and A. vulgaris against the melonworm Diaphania hyalinata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) larvae, a pest of Cucurbitaceae, and their selectivity for fire ant Solenopsis saevissima (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and jataí bee Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille) (Meliponinae). The plants were grown in a greenhouse with mineral fertilization and were used for EO extraction. The insects in the bioassay belonged to the second instar of D. hyalinata and adult forms of S. saevissima and T. angustula. Essential oil from A. annua induced a high mortality rate in D. hyalinata (96 %) over a 48 h period. The same essential oil was selective for predator S. saevissima (42 % mortality) and pollinator T. angustula (74 % mortality), while causing high mortality in D. hyalinata. The insecticidal activity of A. annua oil was attributed to the synergism of its constituents viz., camphor and 1,8-cineole. Therefore, this essential oil contains constituents that are promising for effective use as insecticide due to its high toxicity and rapid action against D. hyalinata as well as low toxicity for predator and pollinator.

Evaluation of the Toxicity of Satureja intermedia C. A. Mey Essential Oil to Storage and Greenhouse Insect Pests and a Predator Ladybird

“…The essential oil of S. intermedia was more toxic on A. nerii (LC 50 : 418 µg/mL) than the predator ladybird C. septempunctata (LC 50 : 914 µg/mL), suggesting that the predator was more tolerant than the aphid to S. intermedia essential oil, which is very valuable in terms of predator protection. Similar results were obtained for controlling aphids [ 54 , 55 ] and some other insect pests [ 56 , 57 , 58 ] using plant-derived essential oils along with protecting their predators. However, the destructive side-effects of some essential oils on parasitoids have been reported [ 59 , 60 , 61 ].…”

Potential insecticidal activity of four essential oils against the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

“…In the present study, germacrene D-4ol, borneol, 1,8-cineole, longiverbenone, ascaridol, and camphor were the highest abundant co compounds in A. camphorata EO. A. camphorata showed the major compounds germacrene D-4-ol, 1,8-cineole, ascaridole and borneol with percentages of 22, 12, 10, and 10 %, respectively in Brazilian plant (Seixas et al 2018). A. camphorata EO showed the presence of davanone (20%) as major component in Tunisia plant (Mohsen and Ali 2009).…”

“…Essential oils from A. camphorata, A. absinthium, A. annua, A. dracunculus, and A. vulgaris showed potential activity against the melonworm Diaphania hyalinata (Linnaeus 1758) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) larvae with different levels (Seixas et al 2018).…”

Toxicity, Deterrent and Repellent Activities of Four Essential Oils on Aphis punicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

“…Regarding the contact toxicity, Satureja intermedia EO was more toxic for imago females of Aphis nerii than Coccinella septempunctata imago [ 46 ]. Other investigations stated that insect predators are more tolerant to various EOs than aphids [ 30 , 47 , 48 ]. A previous investigation reported that with four aphid species tested, the most effective EOs from the four tested EOs were in some cases up to five times more toxic than that of the coccinellid predators [ 29 ].…”