Larvicidal efficacy of Verbascum spp. methanol extracts against Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, 1813) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Dragana Predojević,Vladimir Mihailović,Snežana Tanasković,Snežana Pešić,Filip Vukajlović

doi:10.5937/kgjsci2042167p

Abstract

Verbascum species (fam. Scrophulariaceae) contain a high concentration of rotenone and verbascoside and traditionally have long been used as insecticides. This study is aimed to investigate the larvicidal efficacy of Verbascum thapsus L. and V. phlomoides L. methanolic extracts in the suppression of the Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, 1813), under laboratory conditions. The experiment was set up in two separate blocks (for two different extracts), each as 3˟3˟3 factorial trial: three concentrations of extracts (1, 2 and 5%) were tested against the three larval age groups (14, 14-28 and 28 days old) and each treatment was repeated three times. Mortality was recorded after 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Both tested extracts were the most effective 96 h after the exposure in 5% concentration applied on the youngest larvae. Extract of V. thapsus caused the mortality of 64.00%, while in treatment with V. phlomoides extract mortality was 48.00%. Tested Verbascum extracts have shown moderate potential for application as botanical larvicides.

Highlights

Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, 1813) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is a major cosmopolitan insect pest of a variety of stored food commodities (NAVARRO and NAVARRO, 2018; PREDOJEVIĆ et al, 2017; VUKAJLOVIĆ et al, 2017, 2019), cereals, such as maize and wheat (JACOBS and CALVIN, 1990; PREDOJEVIĆ et al, 2017)
This study is aimed to investigate the larvicidal efficacy of Verbascum thapsus L. and V. phlomoides L. methanolic extracts in the suppression of the Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, 1813), under laboratory conditions
Extract of V. thapsus caused the mortality of 64.00%, while in treatment with V. phlomoides extract mortality was 48.00%

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, 1813) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is a major cosmopolitan insect pest of a variety of stored food commodities (NAVARRO and NAVARRO, 2018; PREDOJEVIĆ et al, 2017; VUKAJLOVIĆ et al, 2017, 2019), cereals, such as maize and wheat (JACOBS and CALVIN, 1990; PREDOJEVIĆ et al, 2017). Phenylethanoid glycosides, flavonoids, iridoids, and saponins are reported as the major constituents of these species (GEORGIEV et al, 2011) Their insecticidal properties are scientifically confirmed against different insects, such as stored product pests Sitophilus oryzae (Linnaeus, 1763) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst, 1797) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) (KHOSHNOUD and KHAYAMY, 2008) and larvae of mosquito Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) (Diptera: Culicidae) (SUPAVARN et al, 1974). According to a research conducted by the US EPA in 1990, rotenone was found to be commonly used as a pesticide for insect control in home gardens, classified as a botanical insecticide (BRIGGS, 1992; GUPTA, 2019). As far as we know, V. phlomoides insecticidal potential as well as the insecticidal efficacy of Verbascum spp. extracts against any lepidopteran storage pest is investigated for the first time

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Findings

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