Avocado kernels, an industrial residue: a source of compounds with insecticidal activity against silverleaf whitefly

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 2260 - 2268
• Main Authors: de Carvalho, Sheila Salles, Ribeiro, Leandro do Prado, Forim, Moacir Rossi, da Silva, Maria Fátima das Graças Fernandes, Bicalho, Keylla Utherdyany, Fernandes, João Batista, Vendramim, José Djair
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aliphatic compounds; Animals; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Bemisia tabaci; Bioassays; Biological activity; Carbohydrates; Cultivars; Dichloromethane; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; Fatty acids; Fractionation; Hemiptera; Hexanes; Insecticides; Kernels; Lauraceae; Lethal Dose 50; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Nymph; Persea; Research Article; Saccharides; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Avocadofurans; Bioinsecticide; Industrial residue; biotype B; Allelochemicals; Bemisia tabaci biotype B
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10675-6

Fruit processing waste, such as kernels (endocarp + seed) of avocado [ Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae)], could be used as raw material in the preparation of botanical insecticides. In light of this potential, this study assessed the insecticidal action of extracts and fractions from kernels of two avocado cultivars (Breda and Margarida) on Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) biotype B, an important pest species in tropical conditions. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts prepared from kernels of P. americana , regardless of the plant cultivar used, caused promising insecticidal activity to whitefly nymphs. Based on yield in crude extracts [10.32 and 9.85% (w/w), respectively, for cultivars Breda and Margarida], on the bioassay results with crude extracts and on the chemical profiles, the ethanolic extract of kernels of P. americana cv. Breda was chose for the continuation of the study. Thus, the ethanolic extract of kernels of cv. Breda (LC 50  = 197.84 ppm and LC 90  = 567.19 ppm) was selected and subjected to fractionation by the liquid-liquid partition technique. The hexane and dichloromethane fractions of this extract caused significant mortality of nymphs. The analysis using the ultraviolet (UV) and hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR) showed the presence of long-chain aliphatic compounds (alkanols or acetogenins of Lauraceae), alkylfurans (or avocadofurans), and unsaturated fatty acids in these fractions, which are possibly related to bioactivity observed in B. tabaci , besides saccharides. The results show that kernels of P. americana are promising sources of compounds with insecticidal action for the control of B. tabaci biotype B, a great opportunity to transform environmental problems into eco-friendly solutions to agriculture.