Abstract
French marigold is an aromatic plant rich in polyphenolic secondary metabolites, which pesticidal potential was examined in this study. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) connected with OrbiTrap mass spectrometer (MS) identified 113 phenolics and revealed the most detailed phytochemistry of French marigold published so far. Depending on plant material (flowers or leaves) and solvents used for extraction (water, methanol, dichloromethane), the phenolic composition varied. Methanol extract of flowers, with 89 identified phenolics and high antioxidant activity statistically comparable with positive control Trolox, was chosen for testing of antifeedant potential against the 3rd and 4th instars of Colorado potato beetle (CPB). A significant reduction in final body mass of 4th larval stage fed with potato leaves coated with methanol extract of flowers in the concentration of 10 mg/mL was observed (157.67 mg vs. 182.26 mg of controls fed with non-treated leaves). This caused delayed molting since treated larvae reached the maximal mass a day after controls and this delay persisted during the entire larval development. Continuous feeding caused a 25% decline in digestive proteolytic activity of the 4th instar in comparison to controls. The results suggest that French marigold methanol extract of flowers could be proposed as a promising antifeedant for CPB management, with an impact on the reduction in the environmental footprint associated with synthetic pesticide application.
Highlights
The ultimate goal of modern agriculture, dictated by the inexorable growth of the human population, is the increase in the yield and quality of food
Extraction of French marigold phenolics from flowers and leaves by three different solvents resulted in extracts with various compositions and an abundance of specific compounds
Phytochemical characterization by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography connected with OrbiTrap mass spectrometer (UHPLC-OrbiTrap MS) culminated with the identification of 113 compounds in total, present in 6 different extracts, i.e., extracts from both flowers and leaves, each in water, methanol (MeOH), and dichloromethane (DCM)
Summary
The ultimate goal of modern agriculture, dictated by the inexorable growth of the human population, is the increase in the yield and quality of food. According to the estimation of the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), between. 720 and 811 million people faced severe food insecurity in 2020 [1]. This report states that around 118 million more people suffered from hunger in 2020 compared to. One of the striking issues that seriously jeopardizes the sustainable approach in agriculture worldwide is the contamination of the environment and produced food with synthetic chemicals used for pest control. Around 0.4 million tons of insecticides produced annually [2] are suspected of causing different adverse effects on the environment [3,4,5] and biodiversity [6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
