Insecticidal Effects of the Annonaceous Acetogenin Squamocin and the Acetogenin Fraction of Seeds of Rollinia occidentalis on Soybean and Corn Pests

Abstract

A treatment based on the acetogenin fraction of the methanol extract of Rollinia occidentalis seeds was applied to soybean crops for three consecutive years. In relation to the control population, the treatment reduced the population of Anticarsia gemmatalis, Rachiplusia nu, Pseudoplusia includens, Loxostege bifidalis and Spodoptera frugiperda to 52% and 65% after 48 h of application at concentrations of 500 and 750 μg/mL respectively, while low toxic effects were detected on natural enemies. The extract treatment at 500 μg/mL and a solution of the annonaceous acetogenin, squamocin, at 50 and 100 μg/mL, were also applied to a corn field to produce 75%, 93% and 100% mortality rates on the population of S. frugiperda, respectively, after 72 h of application. In addition, damages caused by lepidopterans in treated crops were lower than those observed in non treated fields, evaluated by residual biomass. This statement is based on data from trials with the commercially available insecticides lufenuron and cypermethrin.