Bioactivity of Jatropha curcas L. to insect pests of stored products

• Published in: Journal of stored products research Vol. 48; pp. 111 - 113
• Main Authors: Silva, G.N., Faroni, L.R.A., Sousa, A.H., Freitas, R.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: adults; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Alternative control; Biological and medical sciences; Biological control; Botanical insecticide; Coleoptera; Control; exposure duration; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; genotype; Genotypes; Harvesting. Postharvest. Storage; insect pests; insecticidal properties; Jatropha curcas; mortality; Oleaginous; Oryzaephilus; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; powders; Protozoa. Invertebrates; seeds; Sitophilus zeamais; Storage; storage pests; stored grain; toxicity; Tribolium castaneum; Vegetative propagation. Sowing and planting. Harvesting; Oleaginous; Botanical insecticide; Storage; Coleoptera; Alternative control; Insecta; Stored food product; Biological activity; Pest; Oil; Arthropoda; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Euphorbiaceae; Spermatophyta; Biopesticide; Invertebrata; Oil plant (vegetal)
• ISSN: 0022-474X; 1879-1212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jspr.2011.10.009

The objective of this research was to assess insecticidal activity of seeds and derivatives of Jatropha curcas to insect pests of stored grains. Lethal exposure times were estimated for 50 and 95% (LT50 and LT95) of the adults of Sitophilus zeamais and Rhyzorpertha dominica to seeds of four genotypes of J. curcas: Gonçalo, Paraguaçu, Filomena and Bento. Toxicity of powders and aqueous extracts from seeds and pericarps of J. curcas were tested on S. zeamais, R. dominica, Tribolium castaneum and Oryzaephilus surimanensis. A uniform toxic response was observed among the four genotypes for S. zeamais and R. dominica. The powders and aqueous extracts from seeds and pericarps were lethal to S. zeamais, R. dominica, T. castaneum and O. surimanensis. However, insect mortality was higher in the treatments from seeds, compared to the treatments from pericarps. ► Insect pests of stored grains were susceptible to seeds and pericarps of the plant Jatropha curcas. ► Extracts from seeds were more toxic than extracts from pericarps. ► J. curcas can be used as a botanical insecticide.