A Review of Bioinsecticidal Activity of Solanaceae Alkaloids

Abstract

Only a small percentage of insect species are pests. However, pest species cause significant losses in agricultural and forest crops, and many are vectors of diseases. Currently, many scientists are focused on developing new tools to control insect populations, including secondary plant metabolites, e.g., alkaloids, glycoalkaloids, terpenoids, organic acids and alcohols, which show promise for use in plant protection. These compounds can affect insects at all levels of biological organization, but their action generally disturbs cellular and physiological processes, e.g., by altering redox balance, hormonal regulation, neuronal signalization or reproduction in exposed individuals. Secondary plant metabolites cause toxic effects that can be observed at both lethal and sublethal levels, but the most important effect is repellence. Plants from the Solanaceae family, which contains numerous economically and ecologically important species, produce various substances that affect insects belonging to most orders, particularly herbivorous insects and other pests. Many compounds possess insecticidal properties, but they are also classified as molluscides, acaricides, nematocides, fungicides and bactericides. In this paper, we present data on the sublethal and lethal toxicity caused by pure metabolites and crude extracts obtained from Solanaceae plants. Pure substances as well as water and/or alcohol extracts cause lethal and sublethal effects in insects, which is important from the economical point of view. We discuss the results of our study and their relevance to plant protection and management.

The puzzle of highly virulent Metarhizium anisopliae strains from Annona squamosa fields against Helicoverpa armigera

“…Our findings raise the possibility that similar highly virulent strains may be found in the rhizosphere of plants having insecticidal properties. The Metarhizium isolates from rhizospheric soils of papaya, chilli, and neem, the plants having insecticidal properties , from widely separated families, seem to corroborate this view. A concerted search for endophytic entomopathogens, including Beauveria , Nomuraea , and Lecanicillium , in plants not attacked by chewing insects, may yield highly virulent strains against H. armigera and other insects, making entomopathogenic fungi more cost‐effective for agriculture.…”

Endorhizal Fungal Association and Colonization Patterns in Solanaceae

“…Solanaceous species are often rich in alkaloids. The toxicity of these alkaloids to humans and other animals can range from mild irritation to lethality even in small quantities (Chowański et al 2016). The poisonous species in this family include Atropa belladonna L., Hyoscyamus niger L. and Datura stramonium L. The family includes an important economic plant, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), which contains highly toxic alkaloids such as anabasine, anatabine, nicotine and nornicotine (Sun et al 2013).…”

Termiticidal activities of few plant extracts against Macrotermes subhyalinus smeathman and Trinervitermes geminatus wasmann (Isoptera: Termitidae) survival

“…Thus, some flavonoids extracted from the Japanese larch and Larix leptolepis (Lamb) showed strong feeding deterrent activities against Coptotermes formosanus (Shiraki) (Ohmura et al, 2000;Chen et al, 2004). Recently Chowański et al (2016) reported the toxicity caused by alkaloids from few Solanaceae plants. According to these authors, both formulations (metabolites and water/alcohol extracts) showed lethal and sublethal effects on tested termites and other pestiferous insects.…”