Larvicidal activity against Plutella xylostella of cordycepin from the fruiting body of Cordyceps militaris

• Published in: Pest management science Vol. 58; no. 7; pp. 713 - 717
• Main Authors: Kim, Jun-Ran, Yeon, Sung-Hum, Kim, Ho-San, Ahn, Young-Joon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.07.2002; Wiley
• Subjects: 3′-deoxyadenosine; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biological control; Bombyx mori; chitin; Clavicipitaceae; color; Control; cordycepin; Cordyceps - chemistry; Cordyceps militaris; Deoxyadenosines - chemistry; Deoxyadenosines - pharmacology; dipping; direct contact; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; exposure duration; extracts; fruiting bodies; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; insecticidal properties; Insecticides - chemistry; Insecticides - pharmacology; Larva - drug effects; larvae; leaves; methanol; Molecular Structure; mortality; Moths - drug effects; Moths - growth & development; natural insecticide; pest management; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Plants; Plutella xylostella; Protozoa. Invertebrates; pupae; spectroscopy; stomach; Time Factors; topical application; Entomopathogen; Toxicity; Insecta; Mortality; Natural product; Deoxyadenosine; Biological activity; Dose activity relation; Fungi; Plutella xylostella; Pest; Larva; Pest management; Arthropoda; Lepidoptera; Ascomycetes; Biopesticide; Hyponomeutidae; Invertebrata; Mechanism of action; Microbial insecticide; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 1526-498X; 1526-4998
• DOI: 10.1002/ps.508

The insecticidal activities of methanol extracts of Cordyceps militaris Link (Ascomycotina: Clavicipitaceae) cultured on fresh pupae of Bombyx mori L against 3rd-instar larvae of Plutella xylostella L were examined using direct contact application. The larvicidal activity was more pronounced in an extract of C militaris fruiting body than in an extract of the pupae separated from the culture. The biologically active constituent of the Cordyceps fruiting body was characterized as cordycepin (3′-deoxyadenosine) by spectroscopic analysis. Responses varied according to dose, exposure time and application method. In a leaf-dipping test, cordycepin at 500 mg litre−1 caused no mortality at 1 DAT (day after treatment) but 78 and 100% mortality at 2 and 4 DAT, respectively, whereas 34 and 88% mortality at 3 and 5 DAT, respectively was observed at 300 mg litre−1. Cordycepin caused body colour change from pale green to dark brown and eventually body lysis. These results suggested that the larvicidal action may be attributable to a direct effect rather than an inhibitory action on chitin synthesis. There was a significant difference in insecticidal activity of cordycepin between leaf dipping (500 mg litre−1) with 100% mortality and topical application (10 µg per larva) with 0% mortality, suggesting that cordycepin has stomach action. Cordycepin merits further study as a potential P xylostella control agent or as a lead compound.