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

Paula Tatiana Lopes Seixas,Elson Santiago Alvarenga,Ana Marques,Antonio Jacinto Demuner,Marcelo Coutinho Picanço,Elizeu de Sá Farias,Luiz Claudio Almeida Barbosa

doi:10.1590/1678-992x-2016-0461

Paula Tatiana Lopes Seixas, Elson Santiago Alvarenga + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-992x-2016-0461

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Abstract

ABSTRACT: The demand for effective insecticides in pest control with low toxicity to the non-target 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 jatai 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.

Highlights

Diaphania hyalinata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a melon caterpillar found in South and Central America and is considered the major agricultural pest of Cucurbitaceae.Larvae of D. hyalinata attack leaves, berries, and stalks reducing the photosynthetic area of the plants, leading to fruit rot and making it useless for consumption
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 same essential oil was selective for predator S. saevissima (42 % mortality) and pollinator T. angustula (74 % mortality), while causing high mortality in D. hyalinata

Summary

Introduction

Diaphania hyalinata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a melon caterpillar (melonworm) found in South and Central America and is considered the major agricultural pest of Cucurbitaceae.Larvae of D. hyalinata attack leaves, berries, and stalks reducing the photosynthetic area of the plants, leading to fruit rot and making it useless for consumption. Fire ant Solenopsis saevissima (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is the natural enemy of D. hyalinata and feeds on larvae and pupae of D. hyalinata; it plays a vital role as a biological pest control for these populations in these ecosystems (Pitts et al, 2005; Resende et al, 2016). Another important beneficial insect group associated with ecosystems are bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae), as they contribute positively to the ecosystem as pollinators (Aguiar et al, 2016; Brittain et al, 2010). Approximately 75 % of the species of agricultural crops worldwide benefit from insect pollination (Hladik et al, 2016)

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