Solanum Nigrum Fruit Extract Increases Toxicity of Fenitrothion-A Synthetic Insecticide, in the Mealworm Beetle Tenebrio Molitor Larvae.

Marta Spochacz,Zbigniew Adamski,Sabino Aurelio Bufo,Szymon Chowański,Monika Szymczak

doi:10.3390/toxins12100612

Marta Spochacz, Zbigniew Adamski + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins12100612

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Abstract

Synthetic insecticides are widely used for crop protection both in the fields and in the food stored facilities. Due to their toxicity, and assumptions of Integrated Pest Management, we conducted two independent experiments, where we studied the influence of Solanum nigrum unripe fruit extract on the toxicity of an organophosphorus insecticide fenitrothion. In the first variant of the experiment, Tenebrio molitor larvae were fed with blended fenitrothion (LC50) and the extract in four concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10%) in ratio 1:1 for 3 days. In the second variant, a two-day application of fenitrothion (LC40) was preceded by a one-day extract treatment. The first variant did not show any increase in lethality compared to fenitrothion; however, ultrastructure observations exhibited swollen endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes in the midgut and nuclear and cellular membranes in the fat body, after application of blended fenitrothion and extract. An increased amount of heterochromatin in the fat body was observed, too. In the second variant, pre-treatment of the extract increased the lethality of larvae, decreased the level of glycogen and lipids in the fat body and disrupted integrity of midgut cellular membranes. S. nigrum extract, applied prior to fenitrothion treatment can be a factor increasing fenitrothion toxicity in T. molitor larvae. Thus, this strategy may lead to decreased emission of synthetic insecticides to the environment.

Highlights

The protection of food products imposes the rigorous usage of chemicals like insecticides, which usage worldwide increases annually
We described the altered amount of biomolecules, ultrastructural malformations, increased chromatin condensation, and altered heart and oviduct contractility effects [12,13], which showed that the extract and its main glycoalkaloids solasonine and solamargine might have affected the insect metabolism, development, and reproduction
The first strategy of application assumed that the EXT added to the FN may increase the lethality of T. molitor larvae by additive action on the tissues crucial for the absorption and detoxification processes, such as fat body and midgut

Summary

Introduction

The protection of food products imposes the rigorous usage of chemicals like insecticides, which usage worldwide increases annually. Considering the harmful effects of synthetic pesticides, their usage should be limited, and substitute methods such as biopesticides should be implemented. Such methods of stored products’ protection are the focus of intensive studies (for review see: [2]). The insects can cause losses up to 15% of grains and flour production worldwide [3,4,5] and may act as vectors of other pests, e.g., fungi [6] For these reasons, the yellow mealworm beetle is a model organism in many studies concerning its susceptibility to plant derivatives [7,8,9,10,11]. These data became a starting point to test the

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