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Insects
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Botanical Control of Insect Pests
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Botanical Control of Insect Pests

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Pest and Vector Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 22836

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Errol Hassan

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Guest Editor
School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland Gatton, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia
Interests: extraction and evaluation of biopesticides; new approaches and processes for natural products; integrated pest management; applied entomology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Botanical pesticides are efficacious in managing different plant and crop pests, and are inexpensive, easily biodegraded, have different modes of action, have easily available sources, and have low toxicity to non-target organisms. They are compatible with biological control and with integrated pest management (IPM).

Their varied mode of action is attributed to the phytochemical composition in different plants. Agricultural and horticultural crops and stored products are constantly exposed to pests (including arthropods, diseases, and weeds) from germination until harvesting and storage. Therefore, to combat these pests and protect their crops growers often use quick remedies such as synthetic pesticides. In general, most synthetic pesticides are not easily biodegradable—they accumulate in the soil and environment and contaminate the ground water.

The adoption of botanical pesticides could contribute to ensuring a healthy environment, as they do not contaminate the soil or pollute the ground water, and they are biodegradable. Botanical pesticides are derived from plants belonging to different families. Botanical pesticides are derivatives of plants that repel, inhibit the growth of, and kill pests, and are a deterrent for egg laying and feeding.

Dr. Errol Hassan
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • botanical pesticides
  • environment
  • synthetic pesticides
  • integrated pest management (IPM)
  • different modes of action of botanical pesticides

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1800 KiB  
Article
Insecticidal Activity of a Component, (-)-4-Terpineol, Isolated from the Essential Oil of Artemisia lavandulaefolia DC. against Plutella xylostella (L.)
by Xing Huang, Linjie Du, Tiantian Liu, Rui Ma, Xing Liu, Haibin Yuan and Shuai Liu
Insects 2022, 13(12), 1126; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13121126 - 06 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1709
Abstract
Plutella xylostella (L.) is one of the most serious pests of cruciferous vegetables. Our previous work demonstrated that the essential oil of Artemisia lavandulaefolia DC. exhibits promising insecticidal activities against P. xylostella. This study further characterizes the key components that are responsible [...] Read more.
Plutella xylostella (L.) is one of the most serious pests of cruciferous vegetables. Our previous work demonstrated that the essential oil of Artemisia lavandulaefolia DC. exhibits promising insecticidal activities against P. xylostella. This study further characterizes the key components that are responsible for the insecticidal effect. In total, 47 compounds (96.52% of the total compounds) were identified from the total oil using GC-MS, and the major compounds were eucalyptol (21.57%), D(+)-camphor (17.33%), (-)-4-terpineol (9.96%) and caryophyllene oxide (10.96%). Among them, (-)-4-terpineol showed significantly larvicidal and fumigant activities against P. xylostella. The LD50 of (-)-4-terpineol was 43.15 mg/mL at 12 h and 31.22 mg/mL at 24 h for 3rd instar larvae, and the LC50 for adults was 8.34 mg/mL at 12 h and 7.35 mg/mL at 24 h. In addition, the adults treated with (-)-4-terpineol showed varying degrees of inhibitory activity toward glutathione S-transferase, catalase, acetylcholinesterase and Na+/K+-ATPase at different post-treatment intervals and concentrations. The results indicate that (-)-4-terpineol has promising insecticidal activities against P. xylostella, and it has good inhibitory effects on the four enzymes of P. xylostella adults. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Botanical Control of Insect Pests)
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12 pages, 974 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Insecticidal Potentials of Five Plant Extracts against the Stored Grain Pest, Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)
by Rasheed Akbar, Imtiaz Ali Khan, Reem A. Alajmi, Ashraf Ali, Brekhna Faheem, Amjad Usman, Ashraf M. Ahmed, Mohamed El-Shazly, Abid Farid, John P. Giesy and Mourad A. M. Aboul-Soud
Insects 2022, 13(11), 1047; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13111047 - 13 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3204
Abstract
Plant based insecticides are considered among the most economic and ecofriendly chemicals for the protection of plants and stored grains. The cowpea weevil (Callosbruchus maculatus) causes more than 90% damage to sored grains in three to six months. The current study [...] Read more.
Plant based insecticides are considered among the most economic and ecofriendly chemicals for the protection of plants and stored grains. The cowpea weevil (Callosbruchus maculatus) causes more than 90% damage to sored grains in three to six months. The current study investigates insecticidal potentials of five selected botanicals: Melia azedarach, Nicotiana rustica, Azadirachta indica, Nicotiana tabacum and Thuja orientalis. They are explored at six different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0%) against C. maculatus and compared to effects of distilled water which is used as a control. Toxicities of 3%(V/V) extracts of N. tabacum, N. rustica, A. indica and T. orientalis against C. maculatus were 100%, 86.11%, 80.56% and 72.22%, respectively. Maximum mortality was caused by N. tabacum and N. rustica (100%), followed by A. indica (82%), whereas minimum mortality was observed in T. orientalis (64%) at 2.5%. Several phytochemicals, alkaloids, saponins, diterphenes, phytosterol, flavonoids and phenols were identified in N. tabacum and N. rustica, while few were present in A. indica. Phytosterol was present in greatest abundance. Saponins were only detected in aqueous extracts of N. rustica and N. tabacum. Taken together, these results indicate the utility of N. tabacum, N. rustica and A. indica as potential botanicals to control pest beetle and cowpea weevil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Botanical Control of Insect Pests)
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14 pages, 1952 KiB  
Article
Toxicity of Some Essential Oils Constituents against Oriental Fruit Fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae)
by Saleem Jaffar and Yongyue Lu
Insects 2022, 13(10), 954; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13100954 - 19 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3014
Abstract
The massive use of synthetic pesticides to manage agricultural pests results in environmental pollution and health hazards. The secondary plant metabolites, which are majorly dominated by terpenoids, have the potential to be developed into novel alternatives to synthetic chemicals. Therefore, in our current [...] Read more.
The massive use of synthetic pesticides to manage agricultural pests results in environmental pollution and health hazards. The secondary plant metabolites, which are majorly dominated by terpenoids, have the potential to be developed into novel alternatives to synthetic chemicals. Therefore, in our current investigation, six majorly dominated essential oil constituents were evaluated for their toxicity against adults and immature stages of oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis, a worldwide fruit pest. The results indicated that carvacrol was the most toxic essential oil constituent (EOC) to adult flies, with LC50 of 19.48 mg/mL via fumigant assay, followed by thujone 75% mortality via ingestion toxicity test against adult fruit flies. Similarly, when larvae were dipped in different concentrations of EOCs, carvacrol appeared as the most toxic EOC with the lowest LC50 (29.12 mg/mL), followed by (−)-alpha-pinene (26.54 mg/mL) and (R)-(+)-limonene (29.12 mg/mL). In the oviposition deterrence tests, no egg was observed on oranges seedlings treated with 5% of each EOC (100% repellency). Regarding the repellency assay, a significantly higher number of flies (77%) were repelled from the Y-tube olfactometer arm containing (−)-alpha-pinene, followed by carvacrol (76%). Our results showed that the selected essential oil constituent has the potential to be developed as an alternative to synthetic pesticides against B. dorsalis. However, further research is required to assess the activities of these EOCs under open-field conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Botanical Control of Insect Pests)
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13 pages, 343 KiB  
Article
Natural and Synthetic Pyrethrins Act as Feeding Deterrents against the Black Blowfly, Phormia regina (Meigen)
by Takeshi Kojima, Seiji Yamato and Shinichi Kawamura
Insects 2022, 13(8), 678; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13080678 - 27 Jul 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2366
Abstract
Pyrethrum is a botanical insecticide derived from pyrethrum flowers. Feeding deterrence caused by pyrethrum has been reported in several sucking insects; however, there is no account of the cause of deterrence—whether from a single component or the combination of six active ingredients, called [...] Read more.
Pyrethrum is a botanical insecticide derived from pyrethrum flowers. Feeding deterrence caused by pyrethrum has been reported in several sucking insects; however, there is no account of the cause of deterrence—whether from a single component or the combination of six active ingredients, called pyrethrins. We determined the feeding deterrence of natural pyrethrins, their two main components (pyrethrins I and II), and pyrethroid insecticides on the blowfly, Phormia regina. In a dual-choice feeding assay that minimized tarsal contact with food sources but allowed feeding through proboscises, natural pyrethrins, synthetic pyrethrins I/II, and allethrin were observed to induce deterrence at a concentration 16 times lower than the lowest concentration at which the knockdown rate increased. Feeding bouts were interrupted by intensive grooming of the proboscis at the deterring concentration, but no such grooming was observed to occur while feeding on the unpalatable tastants—NaCl, quinine, and tartaric acid. The underlying mode of action for the feeding deterrence of pyrethrins at sub-lethal concentrations probably occurs on the fly oral gustatory system, while differing from that of unpalatable tastants. The potent feeding deterrence of pyrethrins may provide effective protection for pyrethrum plants by rapidly deterring insects from feeding, before insecticidal activities occur. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Botanical Control of Insect Pests)
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19 pages, 4409 KiB  
Article
Mosquitocidal Activity of the Methanolic Extract of Annickia chlorantha and Its Isolated Compounds against Culex pipiens, and Their Impact on the Non-Target Organism Zebrafish, Danio rerio
by Tharwat A. Selim, Ibrahim E. Abd-El Rahman, Hesham A. Mahran, Hamza A. M. Adam, Vincent Imieje, Ahmed A. Zaki, Mansour A. E. Bashar, Hossam Hwihy, Abdelaaty Hamed, Ahmed A. Elhenawy, Eman S. Abou-Amra, Samia E. El-Didamony and Ahmed I. Hasaballah
Insects 2022, 13(8), 676; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13080676 - 27 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1674
Abstract
In this study, the crude extract and its isolated compounds from the stem bark of Annickia chlorantha were tested for their larvicidal, developmental, and repellent activity against the mosquito vector, Culex pipiens, besides their toxicity to the non-target aquatic organism, the zebrafish [...] Read more.
In this study, the crude extract and its isolated compounds from the stem bark of Annickia chlorantha were tested for their larvicidal, developmental, and repellent activity against the mosquito vector, Culex pipiens, besides their toxicity to the non-target aquatic organism, the zebrafish (Danio rerio). The acute larvicidal activity of isolated compounds; namely, palmatine, jatrorrhizine, columbamine, β-sitosterol, and Annickia chlorantha methanolic extract (AC), was observed. Developmentally, the larval duration was significantly prolonged when palmatine and β-sitosterol were applied, whereas the pupal duration was significantly prolonged for almost all treatments except palmatine and jatrorrhizine, where it shortened from those in the control. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme showed different activity patterns, where it significantly increased in columbamine and β-sitosterol, and decreased in (AC), palmatine, and jatrorrhizine treatments, whereas glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzyme was significantly increased when AC methanolic extract/isolated compounds were applied, compared to the control. The adult emergence percentages were significantly decreased in all treatments, whereas tested compounds revealed non-significant (p > 0.05) changes in the sex ratio percentages, with a slight female-to-male preference presented in the AC-treated group. Additionally, the tested materials revealed repellence action; interestingly, palmatine and jatrorrhizine recorded higher levels of protection, followed by AC, columbamine, and β-sitosterol for 7 consecutive hours compared to the negative and positive control groups. The non-target assay confirms that the tested materials have very low toxic activity compared to the reported toxicity against mosquito larvae. A docking simulation was employed to better understand the interaction of the isolated compounds with the enzymes, AChE and GST. Additionally, DFT calculations revealed that the reported larvicidal activity may be due to the differing electron distributions among tested compounds. Overall, this study highlights the potential of A. chlorantha extract and its isolated compounds as effective mosquitocidal agents with a very low toxic effect on non-target organisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Botanical Control of Insect Pests)
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12 pages, 1510 KiB  
Article
Effectiveness of Herbal Essential Oils as Single and Combined Repellents against Aedes aegypti, Anopheles dirus and Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)
by Nataya Sutthanont, Monthatip Sudsawang, Theerawit Phanpoowong, Patchara Sriwichai, Jiraporn Ruangsittichai, Chawarat Rotejanaprasert and Raweewan Srisawat
Insects 2022, 13(7), 658; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13070658 - 21 Jul 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 6924
Abstract
Mosquito repellents reduce human-vector contact of vector-borne diseases. We compared the repellent activity of 10 undiluted essential oils (anise, basil, bergamot, coriander, patchouli, peppermint, petitgrain, rosemary, sage and vetiver) against A. aegypti, A. dirus and C. quinquefasciatus using the arm-in-cage method. Petitgrain [...] Read more.
Mosquito repellents reduce human-vector contact of vector-borne diseases. We compared the repellent activity of 10 undiluted essential oils (anise, basil, bergamot, coriander, patchouli, peppermint, petitgrain, rosemary, sage and vetiver) against A. aegypti, A. dirus and C. quinquefasciatus using the arm-in-cage method. Petitgrain oil was the most effective against A. aegypti (270 min). Peppermint oil was the most effective against A. dirus (180 min). Interestingly, all single oils had attributes of repellency against C. quinquefasciatus (ranged, 120–360 min). Moreover, we integrated their binary combinations of highly effective essential oils against A. aegypti and A. dirus to potentially increase the protection time. A 1:1 combination of petitgrain/basil, petitgrain/coriander, basil/coriander and basil/sage reduced the median complete-protection time of 150 min for A. aegypti; a combination of sage and patchouli oils prolonged the median complete-protection time of 270 min for A. dirus. Combining essential oils effect protection time from these two mosquito species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Botanical Control of Insect Pests)
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15 pages, 318 KiB  
Article
Promising Insecticidal Efficiency of Essential Oils Isolated from Four Cultivated Eucalyptus Species in Iran against the Lesser Grain Borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.)
by Asgar Ebadollahi, Bahram Naseri, Zahra Abedi, William N. Setzer and Tanasak Changbunjong
Insects 2022, 13(6), 517; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13060517 - 31 May 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2703
Abstract
The lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), causes damage to stored grains resulting in both quantitative and qualitative losses. The use of synthetic fumigants in the management of stored-product pests resulted in undesirable side effects such as environmental contamination and threat to human [...] Read more.
The lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.), causes damage to stored grains resulting in both quantitative and qualitative losses. The use of synthetic fumigants in the management of stored-product pests resulted in undesirable side effects such as environmental contamination and threat to human and animal health. In this study, the lethal and sublethal effects of essential oils from four Eucalyptus species, E. microtheca, E. procera, E. spatulata, and E. torquata were studied against R. dominica adults. Gas chromatographic–mass spectral analysis of the essential oils was carried out, in which terpenes such as 1,8-cineole and globulol were abundant in essential oils. The pest was susceptible to the fumigation of the essential oils and, considering concentrations and exposure times (24, 48, and 72 h), had significant effects on the pest mortality. The total protein, glycogen, and lipid contents and digestive amylolytic and proteolytic activities of the adults treated with tested essential oils were reduced. The consumption index, relative consumption rate, and relative growth rate were also reduced in the treated adults. According to the insecticidal effects on the adults of R. dominica, the essential oils of E. microtheca, E. procera, E. spatulata, and E. torquata can be candidates for further investigations as grain protectant agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Botanical Control of Insect Pests)
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