Because of their low mammalian toxicity, low persistence and biodegradability in the environment, as well as the potential to decrease the resistance of insect pest, the application of botanical pesticides with the above characteristics may be greatly increased. The major goal of our research include: to evaluate the effects of extracts, fractions, and compounds of Calceolaria species on growth of: Drosophila melanogaster, and Spodoptera frugiperda. The second goal is to determine whether plant-derived compounds have activity against enzymes that are key to insect development, tyrosinase and acetylcholinesterase. Among the strategies for insect pest control are Biological Control and the use of bio-insecticides and insect growth regulators of plant origin. The ethyl acetate extract was most active against D. melanogaster and S. frugiperda with 67.0 and 95.8 % of mortality at 20.0 ppm, respectively. The n-hexane extract showed the highest lethal concentrations to larvae at between 5.0 to 10.0 ppm. At very low concentrations some of these extracts have selective effects on sclerotization and darkening showing a pre-emergence effect. Additionally, we will present the effects of isolated compounds from these plants.

Plant defenses and pathogen attack, tricking plant pathogens: New biopesticides from <i>Calceolariaceae </i>

248th National Meeting (2014)

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Plant defenses and pathogen attack, tricking plant pathogens: New biopesticides from Calceolariaceae