Boletín Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas ISSN: 0717-7917 [email protected] Universidad de Santiago de Chile Chile DEL CORRAL, Soledad; DIAZ-NAPAL, Georgina N.; ZARAGOZA, Mariano; CARPINELLA, María C.; RUIZ, Gustavo; PALACIOS, Sara M. Screening for extracts with insect antifeedant properties in native plants from central Argentina Boletín Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas, vol. 13, núm. 5, 2014, pp. 498-505 Universidad de Santiago de Chile Santiago, Chile Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=85632125007 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative © 2014 Boletín Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas 13 (5): 498 - 505 ISSN 0717 7917 www.blacpma.usach.cl Artículo Original | Original Article Screening for extracts with insect antifeedant properties in native plants from central Argentina [Evaluación de la actividad antialimentaria de insectos en extractos de plantas nativas del centro de Argentina] Soledad DEL CORRAL1, Georgina N. DIAZ-NAPAL1, Mariano ZARAGOZA1, María C. CARPINELLA1, Gustavo RUIZ2 and Sara M. PALACIOS1 1Fine Chemical and Natural Products Laboratory, School of Chemistry, Catholic University of Córdoba. 2Herbarium Marcelino Sayago, School of Agricultural Science, Catholic University of Córdoba. Av. Armada Argentina 3555, Córdoba, Argentina Contactos | Contacts: Sara M. Palacios - E-mail address: [email protected] Abstract: Ethanol extracts obtained from aerial parts of 64 native plants from Central Argentina were tested for their insect antifeedant activity against Epilachna paenulata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) by choice test. Extracts derived from Achyrocline satureioides (Asteraceae), Baccharis coridifolia (Asteraceae), Baccharis flabellata (Asteraceae), Ruprechtia apetala (Polygonaceae) and Vernonanthura nudiflora (Asteraceae), showed more than 97% inhibition of the feeding of E. paenulata at 100 g/cm2. These active extracts were further evaluated for their effectiveness against Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). All these extracts except for that derived from A. satureioides, negatively influenced the feeding behavior of S. frugiperda at 100 g/cm2. Keywords: Native plants to Argentina; insect antifeedants; Vernonanthura nudiflora; Baccharis flabellata; Baccharis coridifolia; Ruprechtia apetala; Achyrocline satureioides. Resumen: Se evaluaron los extractos etanólicos obtenidos de las partes aéreas de 64 plantas de la región Central de Argentina, como antialimentarios de insectos mediante ensayos de elección, contra Epilachna paenulata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Los extractos derivados de Achyrocline satureioides (Asteraceae), Baccharis coridifolia (Asteraceae), Baccharis flabellata (Asteraceae), Ruprechtia apetala (Polygonaceae) y Vernonanthura nudiflora (Asteraceae) mostraron mas de 97% de inhibición de la alimentación de E. paenulata a 100 g/cm2. Estos extractos fueron posteriormente evaluados en su efectividad contra Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Todos ellos, con excepción del extracto de A. satureioides, afectaron negativamente el comportamiento alimentario de S. frugiperda a 100 g/cm2. Palabras clave: Plantas nativas de Argentina; antialimentarios de insectos; Vernonanthura nudiflora, Baccharis flabellata; Baccharis coridifolia; Ruprechtia apetala; Achyrocline satureioides Recibido | Received: June 12, 2013 Aceptado en versión corregida | Accepted in revised form: September 10, 2014 Publicado en línea | Published online: September 30, 2014 Declaración de intereses | Declaration of interests: This work was supported by the Catholic University of Córdoba, FONCYT, Grant Numbers: BID 1728 OC/AR. PICT 33593 and PICTO CRUP 6-31396. SDC and GDN gratefully acknowledge receipt of a fellowship from CONICET. Este artículo puede ser citado como / This article must be cited as: S del Corral, GN Diaz-Napal, M Zaragoza, MC Carpinella, G Ruiz, SM Palacios. 2014. Screening for extracts with insect antifeedant properties in native plants from Central Argentina. Bol Latinoam Caribe Plant Med Aromat 13(5): 498 – 505. 498 del Corral et al. Insect antifeedant activity of Argentinian native plants INTRODUCTION insecticides (Tomquelski & Martins, 2010) and against Chemical control of pest insects has given rise to transgenic BT-maize (Storer et al., 2012). several problems including the pollution of the environment by insecticide residues (de Vlaming et MATERIALS and METHODS al., 2004), the selection of resistant pest populations Plant material (Storer et al., 2012), the negative side effects on Plants were collected in the hills of Córdoba, beneficial parasites and predators (Cordero et al., Argentina, from November 2010 to December 2011. 2007) and the deleterious effects on human health (de Voucher specimens have been deposited in the Jong, 1991, Sulak et al., 2005). It is therefore “Marcelino Sayago” Herbarium of the School of necessary to design efficient insect control agents Agricultural Science, Catholic University of Córdoba presenting reduced environmental consequences (Diaz and were authenticated by the botanist, Gustavo Ruiz. Napal et al., 2009). Plants were selected according to their availability and Plants synthesize a wide array of compounds accessibility and emphasing those for which there was that are involved in plant-insect interactions. Such no information about their activity or chemical compounds of secondary metabolism as alkaloids, contents. The vegetative material was air-dried at terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, steroids, etc. confer room temperature, crushed and extracted by 48 h some resistance against phytophagous insects maceration with ethanol. Yields of each viscous (Carpinella et al., 2002; González-Coloma et al., extract, obtained after solvent removal, were expressed 2002; Urzúa et al., 2010a; Urzúa et al., 2010b; Urzúa as percentage weight of air-dried plant material. et al., 2011; Céspedes et al., 2013). These compounds act as antifeedant and toxic substances as well as Insects growth regulators affecting several physiological E. paenulata and S. frugiperda larvae were obtained processes of insects (González-Coloma et al., 2002). from a laboratory colony, reared on a natural diet of In this context, we are studying the insecticidal Cucurbita maxima Duch. leaves and artificial diet potential of the flora of Central Argentina (Palacios et (Céspedes et al., 2000), respectively. The insects were al., 2007, Palacios et al., 2009), searching for maintained in a growth chamber at 24 ± 1º C and 70- environmentally-friendly pesticides. As a result of this 75% relative humidity, with a photoperiod of 16/8 h ongoing study, we have identified several plants as light-dark cycle and periodically renewed with field sources of efficient pest controllers (Defagó et al., specimens (Diaz Napal et al., 2010). 2006, Diaz Napal et al., 2009, Diaz Napal et al., 2010, Palacios et al., 2010, Defagó et al., 2011). In this Test solution preparation report, we examine the insect antifeedant properties of Ten mg of each extract were dissolved in 1 mL of another group of 64 plants from Central Argentina acetone immediately before the corresponding assay. against Epilachna paenulata, as part of this program for the selection of highly active plant species for Feeding choice assay natural insecticide development. Two cotyledon leaves from a C. maxima seedling were E. paenulata Germar (Coleoptera: placed in a Petri dish; a glass disk with two 1 cm2 Coccinellidae) is a phytophagous insect that affects diameter holes was placed on top. A third-instar E. species from the Cucurbitaceae family, which was paenulata larva was placed equidistant from both a extensively used in our laboratory as model insect for treated and an untreated leaf disk, with 10 l of test insecticide studies (Diaz Napal et al., 2010). The solution and 10 l of acetone, solvent control, results were then confirmed testing the most active respectively. The insect was allowed to feed for 24 h. extracts in another pest insect: the fall armyworm Ten replicates were run for each test. In the case of the Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). This assays against S. frugiperda, two circular sections of insect comprises a pest of economic importance for Lactuca sativa seedling were placed in a Petri dish. A basic grain production and for many other crops in third-instar S. frugiperda larva was placed equidistant North, Central and South America (Wyckhuys & from both a treated (with 10 l of test solution) and an O’Neil, 2006). Being the main corn pest in Brazil and untreated (with 10 l of acetone, solvent control) leaf in Argentina (Tavares et al., 2009), S. frugiperda has disk, and allowed to feed until 50 percent of the food developed resistance against many synthetic was eaten. The relative amounts (recorded in Boletín Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas/499 del Corral et al. Insect antifeedant activity of Argentinian native plants percentages from 0 to 100) of the treated and untreated and C represent consumption on treated and untreated substrate areas eaten in each test were estimated food, respectively. visually by dividing the food area into imaginary A rank for each of the most active plants was quarters. An antifeedant index (AI) was