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Emerging Topics in Botanical Biopesticides
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Emerging Topics in Botanical Biopesticides

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Protection and Biotic Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2023) | Viewed by 14504

Special Issue Editors

Dr. María Paula Zunino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Concejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Cátedra de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5016, Argentina
Interests: aromatic plants; essential oils; volatile natural compounds; bioactivity; insecticide; phytotoxicity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Maria Liza López

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CONICET-Estación Experimental Agropecuaria INTA San Juan, San Juan, Argentina
Interests: pest management; biopesticides; chemical ecology; quarantine pests; essential oils
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The increase in world population and advances in the agricultural industry have contributed to global warming, at the same time discovering that pests can grow in abundance and generate resistance to applied synthetic pesticides. Each year, herbivorous insects and phytopathogenic fungi are responsible for destroying up to a fifth of the world's total agricultural production. This increase in the population of pest insects is also due to human-manipulated habitats, where crops are selected and grouped together in one confined area. In this way, it not only favours the needs of humans but also those of phytophagous organisms. Above all, these pests can widely proliferate in tropical and subtropical regions due to climatic conditions.

Many plants produce secondary metabolites that evolved along with the development of insects, and they have various defence functions against phytophagous insects. Many of these natural products are useful as insecticides or fungicides and as manipulators of insect behaviour. Furthermore, these compounds are known to be safe for the environment and human health. Secondary plant metabolites, especially essential oils or their individual components, could be a natural source for the design of biopesticides. On the other hand, biological interactions, such as those that occur between plants and microorganisms, are a source of new natural products that can be used for the control and management of insect pests. It is also important to be familiar with the regulation and legislation that may exist or arise as these new products are applied. Finally, it is important to consider economic aspects, such as the cost of production and storage, etc., which would arise from the use of these new botanical pesticides. Nowadays, essential oils already have an international market and cultivation areas. That is why this Special Issue will instead be dedicated to the use of natural compounds for the management of agricultural pests.

Dr. María Paula Zunino
Dr. María Liza López
Guest Editors

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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • essential oils
  • terpenes
  • insect
  • volatile organic compounds
  • bioactivity
  • repellence
  • antifungal compounds
  • botanical pesticides
  • economic analysis
  • legislation

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 349 KiB  
Article
Insecticidal Activity of Selected Essential Oils against Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae)
by Dragana Bošković, Slavica Vuković, Sanja Lazić, Nuray Baser, Dušan Čulum, Dragana Tekić, Antonije Žunić, Aleksandra Šušnjar and Dragana Šunjka
Plants 2023, 12(21), 3727; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12213727 - 30 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1190
Abstract
The spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is an invasive polyphagous pest of soft-skinned fruit that has started to threaten small fruit production in Europe since 2008. High reproductive capacity, short generation time, and difficulties in visualizing early damage contribute [...] Read more.
The spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae), is an invasive polyphagous pest of soft-skinned fruit that has started to threaten small fruit production in Europe since 2008. High reproductive capacity, short generation time, and difficulties in visualizing early damage contribute to its rapid spread. Currently, the control strategy against D. suzukii mostly relies on treatment with synthetic insecticides. Keeping in mind that this pest causes the greatest damage during the harvesting period, control using chemicals is not recommended due to the increased risk of high pesticide residue levels in the fruit. With the aim of reducing the use of insecticides, there is a need for developing an environmentally safer way of control. Alternative solutions could rely on the use of essential oils (EOs), which can be used in conventional and organic production systems. Four essential oils, geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), dill (Anethum graveolens), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), and bergamot (Citrus bergamia), were assessed for their insecticidal effects using four different tests (contact toxicity, fumigant-contact toxicity, repellent effect, and multiple-choice tests). The EOs applied were dissolved in acetone at three different concentrations. The most promising one was the geranium essential oil, which had the best effect in all conducted tests, even at the lowest applied concentration. Geranium oil caused very high mortality (95%), even at the lowest concentration applied, after 24 h in the fumigant-contact test, and it caused a mortality of over 85% in the contact test. It was also noticed that geranium demonstrated a deterrent effect by repelling females from laying eggs for four days after at the lowest applied concentration. Scots pine and dill EOs have moderate to strong effects in most tests. The mortality of 100% was achieved for the highest applied concentration in the fumigant-contact and contact tests. Bergamot EO did not have any significant insecticidal activity. Geranium, Scots pine, and dill have great potential to be used as an environmentally friendly way of controlling D. suzukii as they exhibit deterrent, repellent, and insecticidal effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Topics in Botanical Biopesticides)
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16 pages, 1183 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Insecticidal Potential of Heterotheca inuloides Acetonic and Methanolic Extracts against Spodoptera frugiperda and Their Ecotoxicological Effect on Poecilia reticulata
by Karla Hernández-Caracheo, Lina Guerrero-López, Benjamín Rodríguez-Sánchez, Enrique Rodríguez-Núñez, José Luis Rodríguez-Chávez, Guillermo Delgado-Lamas, Juan Campos-Guillén, Aldo Amaro-Reyes, María del Carmen Monroy-Dosta, Carlos Eduardo Zavala-Gómez, Ricardo Chaparro-Sánchez, José Alberto Rodríguez-Morales, Víctor Pérez-Moreno and Miguel Angel Ramos-López
Plants 2023, 12(20), 3555; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12203555 - 13 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1163
Abstract
For the management of Spodoptera frugiperda, botanical extracts have been used to reduce the environmental impacts of synthetic chemical pesticides. In the present investigation, the insecticidal activity of the acetonic and methanolic extracts of Heterotheca inuloides (Asteraceae) and of the main compound [...] Read more.
For the management of Spodoptera frugiperda, botanical extracts have been used to reduce the environmental impacts of synthetic chemical pesticides. In the present investigation, the insecticidal activity of the acetonic and methanolic extracts of Heterotheca inuloides (Asteraceae) and of the main compound 7-hydroxy-3,4-dihydrocadalene on this pest as well as its ecotoxicological effect on Poecilia reticulata were evaluated. A greater insecticidal response was obtained from the acetonic extracts than from the methanolic extracts, with LC50 values of 730.4 ppm and 711.7 ppm for samples 1 and 2, respectively. Similarly, there was a lethal effect on 50% of the P. reticulata population at low concentrations in the acetonic extract compared to the methanolic extract. The sesquiterpene 7-hydroxy-3,4-dihydrocadalene has greater insecticidal activity by presenting an LC50 of 44.36 ppm; however, it is classified as moderately toxic for guppy fish. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Topics in Botanical Biopesticides)
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27 pages, 2909 KiB  
Article
Insecticidal Activity of Tannins from Selected Brown Macroalgae against the Cotton Leafhopper Amrasca devastans
by Ganeshan Petchidurai, Kitherian Sahayaraj, Laila A. Al-Shuraym, Bader Z. Albogami and Samy M. Sayed
Plants 2023, 12(18), 3188; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12183188 - 6 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1290
Abstract
Seaweeds, also known as marine macroalgae, are renewable biological resources that are found worldwide and possess a wide variety of secondary metabolites, including tannins. Drifted brown seaweed (DBSW) is particularly rich in tannins and is regarded as biological trash. The cotton leaf hopper [...] Read more.
Seaweeds, also known as marine macroalgae, are renewable biological resources that are found worldwide and possess a wide variety of secondary metabolites, including tannins. Drifted brown seaweed (DBSW) is particularly rich in tannins and is regarded as biological trash. The cotton leaf hopper Amrasca devastans (Distant) has caused both quantitative and qualitative losses in cotton production. Drifted brown seaweeds (DBSWs) were used in this study to extract, qualitatively profile, and quantify the levels of total tannins, condensed tannins, hydrolyzable tannins, and phlorotannins in the seaweeds; test their insecticidal activity; and determine the mechanism of action. The largest amount of tannin extract was found in Sargassum wightii Greville (20.62%) using the Soxhlet method (SM). Significantly higher amounts of hydrolyzable tannins (p = 0.005), soluble phlorotannins (p = 0.005), total tannins in the SM (p = 0.003), and total tannins in the cold percolation method (p = 0.005) were recorded in S. wightii. However, high levels of condensed tannins (CTAs) were observed in Turbinaria ornata (Turner) J. Agardh (p = 0.004). A. devastans nymphs and adults were examined for oral toxicity (OT) and contact toxicity (CT) against DBSW tannin crude extract and column chromatographic fractions 1 (Rf = 0.86) and 2 (Rf = 0.88). Stoechospermum polypodioides (J.V. Lamouroux) J. Agardh crude tannin was highly effective against A. devastans using the OT method (LC50, 0.044%) when compared with the standard gallic acid (LC50, 0.044%) and tannic acid (LC50, 0.122%). Similarly, S. wightii fraction 2 (LC50, 0.007%) showed a greater insecticidal effect against A. devastans adults in OT than gallic acid (LC50, 0.034%) and tannic acid (LC50, 0.022%). The mechanism of action results show that A. devastans adults treated with crude tannin of T. ornata had significantly decreased amylase, protease (p = 0.005), and invertase (p = 0.003) levels when compared with the detoxification enzymes. The levels of glycosidase, lactate dehydrogenase, esterase, lipase, invertase, and acid phosphate activities (p = 0.005) of S. wightii were reduced when compared with those of the Vijayneem and chemical pesticide Monocrotophos. In adult insects treated with LC50 concentrations of S. wightii tannin fraction 1, the total body protein (9.00 µg/µL) was significantly reduced (OT, LC50—0.019%). The SDS-PAGE analysis results also show that S. wightii tannin fraction 1 (OT and CT), fraction 2 (OT), and S. polypodioides fraction 2 (CT) had a significant effect on the total body portion level, appearance, and disappearance of some proteins and polypeptides. This study shows that the selected brown macroalgae can be utilized for the safer management of cotton leaf hoppers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Topics in Botanical Biopesticides)
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11 pages, 972 KiB  
Article
The Insecticidal Activity of Azadirachta indica Leaf Extract: Optimization of the Microencapsulation Process by Complex Coacervation
by Mariela R. Michel, Mayra Aguilar-Zárate, Romeo Rojas, Guillermo Cristian G. Martínez-Ávila and Pedro Aguilar-Zárate
Plants 2023, 12(6), 1318; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12061318 - 14 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3280
Abstract
The objective of the present work was to optimize the microencapsulation conditions of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) leaf extracts for the biocontrol of Tenebrio molitor. The complex coacervation method was used for the encapsulation of the extracts. The independent factors [...] Read more.
The objective of the present work was to optimize the microencapsulation conditions of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) leaf extracts for the biocontrol of Tenebrio molitor. The complex coacervation method was used for the encapsulation of the extracts. The independent factors considered were the pH (3, 6, and 9), pectin (4, 6, and 8% w/v), and whey protein isolate (WPI) (0.50, 0.75, and 1.00% w/v). The Taguchi L9 (33) orthogonal array was used as the experimental matrix. The response variable was the mortality of T. molitor after 48 h. The nine treatments were applied by immersion of the insects for 10 s. The statistical analysis revealed that the most influential factor on the microencapsulation was the pH (73% of influence), followed by the pectin and WPI (15% and 7% influence, respectively). The software predicted that the optimal microencapsulation conditions were pH 3, pectin 6% w/v, and WPI 1% w/v. The signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio was predicted as 21.57. The experimental validation of the optimal conditions allowed us to obtain an S/N ratio of 18.54, equivalent to a T. molitor mortality of 85 ± 10.49%. The microcapsules had a diameter ranging from 1–5 μm. The microencapsulation by complex coacervation of neem leaf extract is an alternative for the preservation of insecticidal compounds extracted from neem leaves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Topics in Botanical Biopesticides)
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18 pages, 5075 KiB  
Article
Production of New Biopesticides from Cymbopogon citratus for the Control of Coffee Rust (Hemileia vastatrix) under Laboratory and Field Conditions
by Luis Morales-Aranibar, Francisca Elena Yucra Yucra, Nivia Marisol Pilares Estrada, Policarpo Quispe Flores, Renatto Nicolino Motta Zevallos, Juan Carlos Llanos Zegarra, Uriel Palomino Trujillo, Carlos Genaro Morales Aranibar, Hebert Hernán Soto Gonzales, Jorge González Aguilera, Leandris Argentel-Martínez and Sucleidi Nápoles Vinent
Plants 2023, 12(5), 1166; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12051166 - 3 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2134
Abstract
One of the diseases with the greatest economic impact on coffee cultivation worldwide and particularly in Peru is coffee rust (Hemileia vastatrix). The search for sustainable control methods as disease management strategies in coffee cultivation is necessary. The objective of this [...] Read more.
One of the diseases with the greatest economic impact on coffee cultivation worldwide and particularly in Peru is coffee rust (Hemileia vastatrix). The search for sustainable control methods as disease management strategies in coffee cultivation is necessary. The objective of this research was to determine the effectiveness of five biopesticides based on lemon verbena (Cymbopogon citratus) for the control of rust applied in laboratory and field conditions to allow the recovery of coffee (Coffea arabica L. var. typica) in La Convención, Cusco, Peru. Five biopesticides (oil, macerate, infusion, hydrolate and Biol) and four concentrations (0, 15, 20 and 25%) were evaluated. The biopesticides were evaluated under laboratory conditions (light and dark) at different concentrations. The design used was completely randomized in a factorial scheme. The biopesticides were incorporated into the culture medium and inoculated with 400 uredospores of rust, and the germination percentage was evaluated. Under field conditions, the biopesticides at the same concentrations were evaluated for 4 weeks after application. Under these field conditions, the incidence, severity and area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) of selected plants with a natural degree of infection were evaluated. In the laboratory, the results showed that all biopesticides were effective in reducing the germination of rust uredospores to values <1% of germination in relation to the control, which showed values of 61% and 75% in the light and dark, respectively, independent of the concentration used, with no significant differences between them. In the field, 25% oil promoted the best response with values <1% and 0% incidence and severity, respectively, in the first two weeks after application. The AUDPC for this same treatment showed values of 7 in relation to 1595 of the control. Cymbopogon citratus oil is an excellent biopesticide that can be used to control coffee rust. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Topics in Botanical Biopesticides)
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20 pages, 4250 KiB  
Article
Methanolic Extracts of Chiococca alba in Aedes aegypti Biorational Management: Larvicidal and Repellent Potential, and Selectivity against Non-Target Organisms
by Jaqueline C. M. Borges, Khalid Haddi, Wilson R. Valbon, Lara T. M. Costa, Sérgio D. Ascêncio, Gil R. Santos, Ilsamar M. Soares, Robson S. Barbosa, Kelvinson F. Viana, Eder A. P. Silva, Wellington S. Moura, Bruno S. Andrade, Eugenio E. Oliveira and Raimundo W. S. Aguiar
Plants 2022, 11(23), 3298; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11233298 - 29 Nov 2022
Viewed by 2479
Abstract
The use of formulations containing botanical products for controlling insects that vector human and animal diseases has increased in recent years. Plant extracts seem to offer fewer risks to the environment and to human health without reducing the application strategy’s efficacy when compared [...] Read more.
The use of formulations containing botanical products for controlling insects that vector human and animal diseases has increased in recent years. Plant extracts seem to offer fewer risks to the environment and to human health without reducing the application strategy’s efficacy when compared to synthetic and conventional insecticides and repellents. Here, we evaluated the potential of extracts obtained from caninana, Chiococca alba (L.) Hitchc. (Rubiaceae), plants as a tool to be integrated into the management of Aedes aegypti, one of the principal vectors for the transmission of arborviruses in humans. We assessed the larvicidal and repellence performance against adult mosquitoes and evaluated the potential undesired effects of the extracts on non-target organisms. We assessed the susceptibility and predatory abilities of the nymphs of Belostoma anurum, a naturally occurring mosquito larva predator, and evaluated the C. alba extract’s cytotoxic effects in mammalian cell lines. Our chromatographic analysis revealed 18 compounds, including rutin, naringin, myricetin, morin, and quercetin. The methanolic extracts of C. alba showed larvicidal (LC50 = 82 (72–94) mg/mL) activity without killing or affecting the abilities of B. anurum to prey upon mosquito larvae. Our in silico predictions revealed the molecular interactions between rutin and the AeagOBP1 receptor to be one possible mechanism for the repellent potential recorded for formulations containing C. alba extracts. Low cytotoxicity against mammalian cell lines reinforces the selectivity of C. alba extracts. Collectively, our findings highlight the potential of C. alba and one of its constituents (rutin) as alternative tools to be integrated into the management of A. aegypti mosquitoes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Topics in Botanical Biopesticides)
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Review

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19 pages, 2125 KiB  
Review
Exploring Contact Toxicity of Essential Oils against Sitophilus zeamais through a Meta-Analysis Approach
by Fernanda Achimón, Maria L. Peschiutta, Vanessa D. Brito, Magalí Beato, Romina P. Pizzolitto, Julio A. Zygadlo and María P. Zunino
Plants 2022, 11(22), 3070; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11223070 - 13 Nov 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2273
Abstract
Sitophilus zeamais is a primary pest of maize. Our aim was to perform a qualitative review and meta-analyses with 56 scientific articles published from 1 January 2000 to 1 October 2022 dealing with direct (topical application) and indirect (impregnation of essential oils, EOs, [...] Read more.
Sitophilus zeamais is a primary pest of maize. Our aim was to perform a qualitative review and meta-analyses with 56 scientific articles published from 1 January 2000 to 1 October 2022 dealing with direct (topical application) and indirect (impregnation of essential oils, EOs, onto filter paper or maize grains) contact toxicity of EOs against S. zeamais. Three independent meta-analyses of single means of LD50 (direct contact) and LC50 (indirect contact) were conducted using a random effect model. Essential oils more frequently evaluated were those belonging to Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Myrtaceae, Piperaceae, and Rutaceae. The LC50 global mean values were 33.19 µg/insect (CI95 29.81–36.95) for topical application; 0.40 µL/cm2 (CI95 0.25–0.65) for filter paper indirect contact; and 0.50 µL/g maize (CI95 0.27–0.90) for maize grains indirect contact. The species Carum carvi, Salvia umbratica, Ilicium difengpi, Periploca sepium, Cephalotaxus sinensis, Murraya exotica, Rhododendron anthopogonoides, Ruta graveolens, Eucalyptus viminalis, Ocotea odorifera, Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus dunnii, Anethum graveolens, Ilicium verum, Cryptocarya alba, Azadirachta indica, Chenopodium ambrosioides, Cupressus semperivens, Schinus molle, Piper hispidinervum, Mentha longifolia, and Croton pulegiodorus showed LC50 or LD50 values lower than the global means, indicating good insecticidal properties. Our results showed that EOs have great potential to be used as bioinsecticides against S. zeamais. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Topics in Botanical Biopesticides)
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