Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro bioactivity of tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) essential oil against larvae and adult forms of lesser mealworms (Alphitobius diaperinus) and its influence on the soil fauna. Tests were performed in triplicate using pure tea tree oil (TTO; 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100%), TTO nanoparticles (1, 3, and 7.5%), or terpinen-4-ol, the main compound of the tea tree oil, at the same concentrations of TTO. Larvae and adult mortality occurred at concentrations up to 10 and 50% of TTO, respectively. No larvicidal or insecticidal effect of TTO nanoparticles was observed. Terpinen-4-ol showed insecticidal and larvicidal effect at concentrations higher than 25%. The evaluation of TTO effect on soil organisms was performed by standard ecotoxicological tests (ISO) with the springtail species Folsomia candida. Only TTO was used for ecotoxicological tests in doses of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg kg-1 of soil. TTO had no negative effects on F. candida survival or reproduction. Therefore, it was concluded that M. alternifolia oil may be a new alternative for control of the lesser mealworm.
Highlights
The lesser mealworm Alphitobius diaperinus, Panzer, is one of the most common pests of poultry industry
tea tree oil (TTO) nanoparticles were provided with the company Inventiva (Porto Alegre, Brazil), and the process of nanoparticle preparation was previously described by Pazinato et al (2014)
Relative proportions of the essential oil components are expressed as percentages
Summary
The lesser mealworm Alphitobius diaperinus, Panzer, is one of the most common pests of poultry industry. A. diaperinus is a potential carrier of several pathogens (viruses, fungi, bacteria, and protozoa) and it can be found everywhere inside poultry houses, hidden in cracks, beneath feeders and other areas (Silva et al, 2005). Pest management practices are routinely adopted, and the lesser mealworm control has been based on chemical insecticides applied on wood shavings used as litter. Some flaws in these sanitary measures leads to litter reinfestation by A. diaperinus (Santos et al, 2009). It is known that these chemicals can cause environmental contamination, affecting soil fauna survival and reproduction (Santos et al, 2012). Natural products may become alternative treatments, and ecotoxicology tests are needed
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