Open Access

ARTICLE

Effect of Eugenia winzerlingii Extracts on Bemisia tabaci and Evaluation of its Nursery Propagation

by A. Cruz-Estrada, E. Ruiz-Sánchez, I.L. Medina Baizabal, E. Balam-Uc, and M. Gamboa-Angulo

1 Unidad de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43 No. 130, Chuburna de Hidalgo, Mérida CP 97205, Yucatán, México.
2 Tecnológico Nacional de México. Instituto Tecnológico de Conkal. Avenida Tecnológico s/n, C.P. 97345. Conkal, Yucatán, México.

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2019, 88(2), 161-170. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2019.05809

Abstract

The development of plant-derived products to control Bemisia tabaci Genn. (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is an urgent need for production of horticultural crops. Plant extracts and essential oils of several species of the genus Eugenia (Myrtaceae) have shown insecticidal activity. In southern Mexico, leaf extracts from Eugenia winzerlingii showed nematicidal effect but its insecticidal properties have not been explored. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the insecticidal effect of aqueous and organic extracts from E. winzerlingii leaves on B. tabaci egg, nymph and adult stages, and else to explore its nursery propagation. Then, extracts of this species were obtained by maceration with different polarity solvents. Bioassays were carried out on Capsicum chinense leaves. Mortality assays showed that aqueous and total crude ethanol (TCE) extracts necrosed the eggs (LC50 = 0.21% w/v and 4.68 mg/mL, respectively), whereas hexane, ethyl acetate (ETA), residual ethanol and TCE extracts affected the nymphs (LC50 = 0.25 - 4.85 mg/mL). In adults, oviposition inhibition by free choice assay indicated that TCE and ETA extracts had major activity (EC50 = 14.62 and 27.86 μg/cm2, respectively). On other hand, the sexual and vegetative propagation of E. winzerlingii showed that this species can be easily cultivated by seeds. In conclusion, extracts of E. winzerlingii leaves are highly effective in controlling B. tabaci. TCE extract, in particular, was toxic to three stages of B. tabaci. This plant could be a potential alternative to develop a novel botanical insecticide to manage this destructive pest.

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