Efficacy of Acorus calamus L. leaves and rhizome on mortality and reproduction of Callosobruchus chinensis L. (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

Abstract

Laboratory and field experiments were conducted to investigate the bioefficacy of sweet flag (Acorus calamus) against the pulse beetle Callosobruchus chinensis, which infests stored chick pea seeds. Dried powders of the leaf and rhizome as well as their extracts in methanol (ME) and petroleum ether (PEE) were evaluated as bio-insecticides against the beetle. Rhizome powder (5 mg/g seed) was found to be more efficacious, causing 100% mortality, than leaf powder (20 mg/g seed), showing 91.1% mortality. Rhizome powders also showed 100% ovicidal activity and thus completely inhibited F 1 emergence at a lower dose than that of leaf powders. The ME and PEE of leaves and rhizome showed 12 to 100% mortality. The percentage of egg laying decreased from 12.8 to 100 with increasing doses of powders and extracts. No F 1 adult emerged at 0.3-0.4 mg/g ME of leaves and rhizome and PEE of rhizome. In six-month field trials, all treatments at laboratory doses proved efficacious (75-98%) over organophosphate insecticide malathion (74.4%) in terms of feeding deterrence. Powder-and extract-treated chick pea seeds did not lose their viability and germinated at 100%, similar to control seeds. It was concluded that leaf and rhizome powders and their solvent extracts showed significant mortality, and inhibition of egg laying and F 1 emergence of C. chinensis at varying concentrations. Hence, the leaves and rhizome of A. calamus may be recommended as admixtures in the integrated management of beetle infestation of pulse seeds during storage.

A plant-based extract mixture for controlling Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

“…All crude extracts evaluated via topical application against second instar S. litura larvae revealed that the ethanolic extract of P. retrofractum had the highest control efficiency, followed by A. calamus ( Table 2). P. retrofractum and A. calamus are used as alternative medicines and supplements in primary health care worldwide [29,30]. They are less toxic to nontarget organisms and mammals.…”

Cytotoxic effects of β‐asarone on Sf9 insect cells

“…β‐Asarone, a phenylpropanoid, is the primary constituent in the essential oil and crude extracts of Acorus calamus Linn (Sweet flag; Björnstad, Helander, Hultén, & Beck, ; Ganjewala & Srivastava, ; Raina, Srivastava, & Syamasunder, ). This plant is a well‐known ethnomedicinal and ethnobotanical plant worldwide (Shukla, Kumar, Prasad, Srivastava, & Dubey, ). Root and rhizome extracts of A. calamus contain many phytoconstituents, including—in addition to β‐asarone—alkaloids, caryophyllene, isoasarone, methyl isoeugenol, safrole, and acorin (Ganjewala & Srivastava, ; Wang, Cheng, & Fan, ).…”

“…Leaf and rhizome powders of A. calamus and their extracts are significantly effective in feeding deterrence against the beetles Callosobruchus chinensis (Shukla et al, ) and Prostephanus truncates (Schmidt & Streloke, ). Essential oil of A. calamus is active against Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura (Tewary, Bhardwaj, & Shanker, ).…”

Seasonal Variation in Essential Oil Compositions and Antioxidant Properties of Acorus calamus L. Accessions

“…Natural antioxidants are generally classified as phenols, including flavonoids, phenolic acids and volatile compounds [ 7 ]. Acorus calamus is a traditional indigenous herb generally used in the treatment of cough, bronchitis, gout, tumours, haemorrhoids, skin diseases, numbness, and general debility [ 12 , 13 ]. It possesses a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as anti-diabetic [ 14 ], central nervous system depressant [ 15 ], anti-inflammatory [ 16 ], antioxidant [ 17 ], antispasmodic [ 18 ], antibacterial [ 19 ], antifungal [ 20 ], and cardiovascular [ 21 ] and insecticidal agent [ 22 ].…”