Aqueous Extracts of Species of the Genus Campomanesia (Myrtaceae) Affect Biological Characteristics of Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

Abstract

Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) is an insect pest that causes great damage to Brassica cultures. It is necessary to develop alternative control methods, because this pest is resistant to many synthetic insecticides that are harmful to the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of aqueous extracts of Campomanesia adamantium, C. guazumifolia, and C. xanthocarpa on the life cycle of P. xylostella. These aqueous extracts were prepared in a concentration of 10 g/mL and then applied on cabbage disks of 4 cm2 to feed the larvae until they reached pupal stage. The disks were evaluated daily during the larval stage and replaced every 24 hours. The experiment consisted of ten replicates, each replicate containing five subsamples. The parameters evaluated were larval and pupal survival, pupal biomass, gender ratio, male and female longevity, number of eggs, fecundity, oviposition period and egg survival. The C. xanthocarpa extract increased larval stage and decreased pupal biomass and oviposition period. The C. adamantium extract decreased larval duration, pupal biomass, male longevity, and oviposition period. The C. guazumifolia extract decreased larval stage, male longevity, and oviposition period. The chemical composition of the extracts of Campomanesia species presented flavonoids such as quercetin, phenolic compounds, and tannins, and the highest retention time occurred in C. adamantium. Thus, the extracts of Campomanesia species were effective in decreasing and controlling the oviposition period of P. xylostella, probably because of the presence of flavonoids, which indicates a possible antioxidant potential and, therefore, the observed antibiosis.

Phytochemical Screening and Bioactivity of Ludwigia spp. in the Control of Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

“…A number of studies have been performed to determine the insecticidal potential of botanical oils and extracts of certain species—Myrtaceae [ 21 ], Rubiaceae [ 22 ], Anonnaceae [ 23 , 24 ], Meliaceae, Anacardiaceae [ 24 , 25 ], Apocynaceae [ 26 , 27 ], Sapindaceae and Fabaceae [ 28 ]—and the oil of Rutaceae [ 29 ] on the development and/or oviposition of P. xylostella and, consequently, the occurrence of antibiosis and antixenosis.…”

Scientometric analysis of scientific production on the genus Campomanesia Ruiz & Pav. (Myrtaceae) and most studied species - research trends involving native Brazilian plants

“…It is observed that the term Myrtaceae appears more significantly because it is the family to which the genus belongs and may also reveal the interest of researchers in the family that houses numerous species of interest in the most diverse areas (Farias et al, 2020). The Campomanesia xanthocarpa species also appears relevantly (34 occurrences, 45 links) linked to words that denote potential biological activities, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, bioactive compounds, obesity, cytokines and nitric oxide Souza et al, 2019). It is noted that the terms related to antioxidant activity are yellow, indicating that they are the most recent research, as well as the term savannah (16 occurrences, 29 links), suggesting a research trend towards biological activity with species from this Brazilian biome.…”

Tradescantia pallida (Commelinaceae) Promotes Reductions in Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) Populations

“…Promising plants, such as those in the families Meliaceae, Rutaceae, Asteraceae, Annonaceae, Labiatae and Canellaceae, have chemical compounds with repellent or insecticidal potential, as reported by Jacobson [10]. Studies involving plant extracts with insecticidal properties indicate changes in the biological characteristics of insects, such as mortality [11][12][13] changes in food [14,15] or oviposition [15,16] preferences, deformities, and morphological and physiological transformations of P. xylostella [11,[17][18][19][20].…”