Toxicological effects of Melaleuca ericifolia and Taxodium distichum extracts on adults rust-red flour beetle

Shoukry, Ibrahim; Abdel-Aziz, Abdel-Aziz; Khater, Karima; Saad, Nora

doi:10.21608/ajbs.2017.68626

Toxicological effects of Melaleuca ericifolia and Taxodium distichum extracts on adults rust-red flour beetle

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig , Egypt

² Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki , Giza, Egypt

10.21608/ajbs.2017.68626

Abstract

Petroleum ether and acetone extracts of leaves from swamp paper bark (Melaleuca ericifolia) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) were tested for their contact and stomach poison activity on adults Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). The results showed that, percentage of mortality increased with increasing the concentration of different extracts and exposure time. Extracts of Swamp paper bark gave higher mortality percent compared with that from bald cypress. Petroleum ether extract of swamp paper bark was found to be the most potent on T. castaneum adults with LC₂₅ , LC₅₀ and LC₉₅ values (1.65%, 2.59% and 7.79% (w/w), respectively) at 48 hours exposure period. The bio-residual activity of LC₉₅ of petroleum ether extract of swamp paper bark continued up to 13^th weeks in treated adults of Tribolium castaneum. On the other hand, treatment with LC₂₅ and LC₅₀ significantly reduced the number of deposited eggs with complete reduction (100% ) in their hatchability and progeny. Treatment of T. castaneum adults with LC₅₀ of petroleum ether extract of swamp paper bark caused significant increase in both carbohydrates and proteins content compared with control, while significant decrease in lipids content was noticed.
Petroleum ether extract of swamp paper bark at LC₉₅ values, caused adverse effects on wheat grains germination at initial time and after storage period but water absorption was not affected.
Phytochemical screening of petroleum ether extract of swamp paper bark revealed that methyl eugenol was the major component. The presence of some of these compounds may be responsible for the insecticidal action of the extract of this plant.
Based on the results of this study, petroleum ether extract of swamp paper bark could serve as an alternative to synthetic insecticides for the protection of stored wheat from rust-red flour beetle.

Keywords