A Semi-field Test with Natural and Analogous Acetogenins as Bioinsecticide

Abstract

This work set out to find the ideal concentration and screening new naturalinsecticides against second instar larvae of S. frugiperda, under glasshouseconditions on Zea mays L. Spodoptera frugiperda is a pest that affects corncrops among others and has a great capacity to develop resistance to traditionalinsecticides, which represents enough reasons for the search, of newalternatives for their control. Natural products were evaluated, annonaceousacetogenins and some acetylated and methoxy methylated ACG derivatives andthe commercial product Lambda-cyhalotrin (LC).Percent mortalities of S. frugiperda larvae in glasshouse settings were recordedafter 24, 48, and 72 hours of treatment administration. The findings demonstratedthat the tested acetogenins significantly (P < 0.05) differed from the untreatedcontrol in terms of insect mortality. After 72 h of treatment application the highestpercent mortalities were obtained with the mixture of two natural products,rolliniastatin-2 (5) (100 μg/mL) + squamocin (6) (100 μg/mL) + LC (50 μg/mL) thatproved the most effective and gave (100%), while rolliniastatin-2 (5) at 100 μg/mLalone, gave lowest percent mortality (65%), followed by squamocin (6) at 100μg/mL (55%) and LC at 50 μg/mL (30%). The acetylated and methoxymethylated ACGs derivatives caused very low mortality (25  35%).It is recommended the mixture of components for integrated pest management.The results allow us to infer that the addition of natural ACGs synergizes theinsecticidal activity of the commercial product. Finding for insect control, a newecological alternative.