Botanical extracts of plants from the Brazilian Cerrado for the integrated management of Sitotroga cerealella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in stored grain

Abstract

In the world, Sitotroga cerealella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is pest of stored grains and their byproducts. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the susceptibility of this insect to extracts of leaves of Adenocalymma nodosum (Bignoniaceae), curcuminoids from rhizomes of Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae), astilbin from flowers of Dimorphandra mollis (Fabaceae), leaves of Psychotria prunifolia (Rubiaceae), leaves of Senna obtusifolia (Fabaceae) and flowers of Tithonia diversifolia (Asteraceae), which are all plants from the Cerrado biome in Brazil. The treatments, which contained extracts of each plant at 1% (w.w-1 or m.m-1) and ethanol, were applied to eggs of S.cerealella, on grains of Triticum aestivum (Poaceae) and on the surfaces of Petri dishes. Based on our results, we can conclude that extracts of T.diversifolia flowers, P.prunifolia leaves and astilbin from D.mollis flowers have potential for use in the integrated management of S.cerealella in stored T.aestivum grains. © 2014.