Potential of Ripe Pawpaw Fruit Extract as an Insecticide and Feeding Deterrent for Striped Cucumber Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on Squash

Abstract

Laboratory experiments were performed to study the effects of pawpaw, Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal, fruit extract on mortality and feeding deterrence of striped cucumber beetle, Acalymma vittatum (F.). Recently, fruit tissues of pawpaw were found to contain phenolic and antioxidant compounds, as well as annonaceous acetogenin compounds having insecticidal activity. Ripe pawpaw fruit pulp from a range of pawpaw varieties was extracted with 100% ethyl alcohol to obtain acetogenin compounds. Pulp extracts of 0, 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000 and 50,000 ppm were then used to assess feeding deterrence and mortality of beetles. Buttercup squash leaf disks 3.5 cm in diameter were treated individually with each concentration and placed on water moistened filter paper in plastic Petri dishes (9 cm diam). Five striped cucumber beetles were placed on each leaf disk. All Petri dishes were then placed in an environmental growth chamber at 27°C and a 16:8 h light:dark photoperiod. Feeding activity was recorded 1, 4 and 24 h afte...