Antifeeding activity of several plant extracts against Lymantria dispar L. (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) larvae

Abstract

SUMMARYLymantria dispar L. is the most devastating polyphagous pest of deciduous forests, orchards and urban greenery. To prevent damages that L. dispar larvae cause in forestry, agriculture and horticulture, mechanical measures and the use of biological insecticides are the most frequently applied practices. However, the use of conventional insecticides is inevitable in crop protection and forest management on smaller areas, especially in gradation years. However, inadequate use of these chemicals has led to disturbance of biocoenotic balance, outbreaks of some previously less harmful organisms and pesticide residues in soil and watercourses in some regions. To mitigate these consequences it is necessary to harmonize L. dispar control with integrated management principles by applying selective and less toxic insecticides. Therefore, the potential of botanical insecticides and antifeeding substances is gaining in importance. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of ethanol extracts (1, 2 and 5%) of Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Erigeron canadensis L., Daucus carota L., Morus alba L. and Aesculus hippocastanum L. on the feeding intensity of L. dispar larvae, i.e. to evaluate their antifeeding activity under the conditions of "no-choice" test. Ten larvae per repetition were placed in Petri dishes and offered oak leaf slices (2 x 9 cm 2 /repetition) previously dipped in plant extract or ethanol (1, 2, and 5%) for the control. Feeding intensity, expressed as a percentage of consumed leaf area (%), was measured after 48 h. For assessing the antifeeding activity of plant extracts AFI was calculated and the extracts were classified according to scale: no antifeeding activity, slight antifeeding activity, moderate antifeeding activity and strong antifeeding activity. Data were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA and Duncan`s multiple range test. The results indicate that plant species, i.e. the origin of extracts, had a significant influence on the feeding intensity of L. dispar larvae, while concentration and interaction (plant species x concentration) were not factors of influence. Ae. hippocastanum and M. alba extracts significantly reduced the consumed leaf area (6.24, 18.93%, respectively), compared to the control (97.59%), while the extract of D. carota had a phagostimulative effect (98.88%). Based on AFI values, Ae. hippocastanum extract (87. 10-89.05%) had a strong antifeeding activity, and M. alba medium-to-strong (64.33-71.37%).

Antifeeding and Insecticidal Activity of Ailanthus altissima and Morus alba Extracts Against Gipsy Moth (Lymantria dispar (L.), Lepidoptera, Lymantridae) Larvae Under Laboratory Conditions

“…The extract of M. alba leaves exhibited strong antifeeding effect, which is in accordance with the results of previous research of Gvozdenac et al (2012). Antifeeding activity can be attributed to kaemferol, 2 hidroxycinnamic and caffeic acid and quercetin detected in the extract.…”

“…Plants are a rich source of compounds that exhibit high biological activity against harmful insects, thus botanical preparations are good potential substitutes for synthetic insecticides in agricultural and forest pest control (Bohinc et al, 2020;Šućur et al, 2015;Hikal, Baeshen & Said-Al Ahl, 2017;Gvozdenac, Šućur, Manojlović, Prvulović & Malenčić, 2018). In recent years, antifeeding effects of various plants and plant extracts have been studied for gypsy moth larvae and several findings confirm the antifeedant or repellent activity of Pinus taeda L., Juniperus virginiana L., Acer rubrum L. (Keena & Richards, 2020), Ocimum basilicum L. (Kostić et al, 2008;Popović et al, 2013), Morus alba L. and Aesculus hippocastanum L. (Gvozdenac, Inđić, Vuković, Grahovac & Tanasković, 2012). Botanical insecticides have many advantages, primarily low toxicity and selectivity towards non-target, and high toxicity to target organisms and also the capacity to avoid the occurrence of insect resistance and biodegradability (Kostić et al, 2008;Krinski, Massaroli & Machado, 2014).…”

Potential of Essential Oils from Anise, Dill and Fennel Seeds for the Gypsy Moth Control

“…and Rosmarinus officinalis L. [ 70 , 74 , 75 , 76 ]. The antifeeding activity of anise EO is similar to that of ethanolic leaf extracts of Aesculus hyppocastanum L. and Morus alba L. [ 77 ].…”

Nutritional Responses of the Black Cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufn.), Larvae under Toxicity Effects of Five Wild Botanical Extracts from Sinai, Egypt

“…These results coincided with Chennaiyan et al [71] stated that Barleria longiflora leaves affect the S. litura larvae feeding behavior. Gvozdenac et al [72] observed that Aesculus hippocastanum had a highly antifeeding activity against Lymantria dispar larvae. However, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Daucus carota, and Elodea canadensis exhibited no antifeedant activity.…”