Potential Biopesticides from Seed Extracts: A Sustainable Way to Protect Cotton Crops from Bollworm Damage

Masoud Chamani (), Narjes Askari, Reza Farshbaf Pourabad, Ali Chenari Bouket, Tomasz Oszako and Lassaad Belbahri
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Masoud Chamani: Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil 5619911367, Iran
Narjes Askari: Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran
Reza Farshbaf Pourabad: Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ege University, Izmir 35100, Türkiye
Ali Chenari Bouket: East Azarbaijan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Centre, Plant Protection Research Department, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tabriz 5355179854, Iran
Tomasz Oszako: Department of Forest Protection, Forest Research Institute in Sekocin Stary, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland
Lassaad Belbahri: University Institute of Teacher Education (IUFE), University of Geneva, 24 Rue du Général-Dufour, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: In the current study, the inhibitory effect of extracts from Gramineae (wheat, barley, and corn) and Leguminosae (sophora, bean, and pea) seeds was studied on the digestive alpha-amylase activity in cotton bollworm ( Helicoverpa armigera Hubner). The insect was bred on artificial food based on Vigna unguiculata in the greenhouse condition (26 ± 2 °C, 60 ± 10% (Relative Humidity), R.H., 16:8 (Light: Darkness), L: D). The extracts of wheat (95.2%), barley (84.6%), corn (73.8%), sophora (77%), Vigna unguiculata (52%), and pea (56.7%) significantly inhibited the alpha-amylase activity in H. armigera . Studying the impact of different fractions (obtained via deposition at various concentrations of ammonium sulfate salt) on the alpha-amylase enzyme activity demonstrated that in 0–30% fractions, wheat, barley, and sophora have the highest effect (95.26%, 94.65%, and 94.73%, respectively) compared to the other fractions. The inhibitory activities of 0–30% fractions of corn, bean, and pea were 83.3, 56.94, and 50.92%, respectively. In 30–50% fractions, the most effective ones were those of wheat and barley with the inhibitory activity of 79.7% and 82.9%, respectively. In addition, bean and pea fractions inhibited 25.2% and 27.5%, in that order. No significant inhibitory impact was detected in 50–70% or higher fractions. The investigation of the impact of pH values (i.e., 2, 4, 8, and 10) on the inhibition of the alpha-amylase enzyme activity introduced 8–10 as the optimum pH in H. armigera . Nanotechnology offers several ways to enhance plant-based pesticides, which are a solution for making plant extract usage more efficient. The exploration of plant-based pesticides, in conjunction with the incorporation of nanotechnology and other scientific fields, offers a wide range of prospects for further investigation.

Keywords: ammonium sulfate; Helicoverpa armigera digestive enzyme; fraction; inhibitory effect; seed extract; plant-based pesticides (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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