Insecticidal and repellent activities of crude saponin from the starfish Asterias amurensis

Abstract

Crude saponin, extracted from the starfish Asterias amurensis, was assessed for its capacity as a biological pesticide. As part of this analysis, its insecticidal and repellent activities, in addition to its acute and chronic toxicities were tested. In comparison with the control group, insecticidal activity of saponin against tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura, in kale, Brassica loeracea was low at 36.4%. Repellent activities of the extracted saponin against green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, and S. litura, on soybean leaf, Glycine max and kale were 65.6% and 35.0% at 1st day, and 54.5% and 30.0% at 3rd day, respectively. Acute and chronic toxicity analysis was carried out using acute immobilizatioin test and reproduction impairment test, respectively. The saponin had 48 h-EC50 of 65.21 ug/mL. Twenty-one day accumulative reproduction after treatment was lower in Daphnia magna at 7 μg/mL saponin (78 youngs), compared with the control group (129 youngs). These results indicate that the extracted saponin exhibited some toxicity and has potential as a repellent against insects. © The Korean Fisheries Society.