Chemical Composition and Broad-Spectrum Insecticidal Activity of the Flower Essential Oil from an Ancient Sicilian Food Plant, Ridolfia segetum

Natale Badalamenti, Vincenzo Ilardi, Maurizio Bruno, Roman Pavela, Maria C. Boukouvala, Nickolas G. Kavallieratos, Filippo Maggi, Angelo Canale and Giovanni Benelli
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Natale Badalamenti: Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Parco d’Orleans II, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Vincenzo Ilardi: Department of Earth and Marine Sciences (DISTeM), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 26, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Maurizio Bruno: Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Parco d’Orleans II, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Roman Pavela: Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507, 161 06 Prague 6, Ruzyne, Czech Republic
Maria C. Boukouvala: Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str, 11855 Athens, Attica, Greece
Nickolas G. Kavallieratos: Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str, 11855 Athens, Attica, Greece
Filippo Maggi: School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via Sant’Agostino 1, 62032 Camerino, Italy
Angelo Canale: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Giovanni Benelli: Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 4, 1-11

Abstract: Several species of the family Apiaceae are aromatic herbs that produce essential oils usable on an industrial scale for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food purposes. In particular, some essential oils, such as green insecticides for example, may replace synthetic insecticides, keeping most of their efficacy and avoiding environmental pollution or human poisoning. In the present study, we explored the insecticidal potential of Ridolfia segetum (L.) Moris essential oil (EO) against three different pests: Culex quinquefasciatus Say, Musca domestica L., and Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval). For this purpose, the EO was obtained by hydrodistillation of flowers and its composition was achieved by gas chromatography/flame ionization detection (GC/FID) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). This EO was rich in α -phellandrene (49.3%), β -phellandrene (9.2%), terpinolene (20.7%), and piperitenone oxide (5.9%). Concerning the mosquitocidal efficacy, the EO showed noteworthy toxicity against C . quinquefasciatus 3rd instar larvae, with a LC 50 = 27.1 µL L −1 and LC 90 = 42.5 µL L −1 . Regarding M . domestica , a different toxicity of the R . segetum EO was found on male and female flies, calculating LD 50 values of 10.5 and 50.8 µg adult −1 , respectively. The EO was also toxic to S . littoralis 3rd instar larvae, achieving LD 50 and LD 90 values of 37.9 and 99.6 µg larva −1 , respectively. Overall, this flower EO, extracted from a traditional Sicilian food plant, merits further investigation for the development of green insecticide formulations to be used in real world conditions, pending a careful assessment of non-target toxicity on beneficial organisms.

Keywords: Culex quiquefasciatus; green pesticides; common housefly; mosquito control; moth pest; Musca domestica; Spodoptera littoralis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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