Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: Among the many applications of guayule (Parthenium argentatum Gray), the use of its resin as a biopesticide has gained much attention in the last few years as it would allow to organically manage important agricultural pests as the Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say). It is one of the most damaging insect pests to the potato economy worldwide, difficult to control by conventional methods due to the development of resistance to chemical insecticides. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate the activity of guayule resin in affecting the feeding behavior of L. decemlineata. To this end, a short-term feeding choice assay was designed in which the beetles could choose between solvent-treated control leaves or leaves treated with either crude guayule resin 100 µg/cm2, crude guayule resin 50 µg/cm2, refined guayule resin 5 µg/cm2, or low molecular weight rubber 5 µg/cm2. The assay was performed in duplicates and lasted six hours under controlled conditions. After, unconsumed leaf areas were measured, and the feeding inhibition index calculated (% FI). For all the treatments tested, quite a lot of variability was observed between the two replicates. Even so, it was observed that a treatment with guayule resin moderately inhibited the feeding of the beetle, showing a % FI of around 54% for crude guayule resin 100 µg/cm2 and refined guayule resin 5 µg/cm2, and of around 40% for crude guayule resin 50 µg/cm2. As for the treatment with low molecular weight rubber, this showed a negative % FI, indicating not only that it does not inhibit feeding, but also that it promotes feeding. Consequently, it seems that guayule resin exerts some antifeedant effect against L. decemlineata, probably due to active compounds and not to a contact effect derived from the sticky texture of the rubber, which makes guayule resin a potential product in the integrated pest management programs of the Colorado leaf beetle.
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: green
Funders: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Montana State University, Strong, European Commission, Bulgarian National Science Fund, General Secretariat for Research and Technology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Agentúra na Podporu Výskumu a Vývoja, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior, Forskningsrådet om Hälsa, Arbetsliv och Välfärd, Agricultural University of Athens, Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Awards: G1152344396, G1240268737, G138191428, G1488870731, Centro de Estudos de Ciência Animal, Utilization of Marginal lands for growing sustainable industrial crops and developing innovative bio-based products, G1849693575, G1953887145, G2050727440, Centro de Engenharia Mecânica e Sustentabilidade de Recursos, G2251382948, Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde - Tecnologias e Processos Limpos, G2542243733, Instituto de Nanoestruturas, Nanomodelação e Nanofabricação, G2801022920, G2814222956, G2975900969, G3051542402, G3069965462, G3530032236, G3584493448, G3654329704, G3725967206, Bionanocomposites of Cellulose for Application in Food packaging: Production and Characterization, Marginal lands for Growing Industrial Crops: Turning a burden into an opportunity, G4294200505, G433160333, G4378797157, G4480680316, G4823118686, G4863917945, G4928890852, G5214374818, G5352094128, G5454278309, Centro de Engenharia Mecânica e Sustentabilidade de Recursos, G5719446647, G5779602061, G5832795443, G5984881030, G6094595053, G6096795348, G6119126181, Introduzir plantações do cacto Opuntia spp. e sistemas de gestão inteligente da água em solos marginais do Egipto e de Marrocos para impulsionar o renascimento rural na região do Mediterrâneo, G6213677173, G6280310554, G6491551913, G65111690, G6836003879, G6896833912, Bridging the gap between phytoremediation solutions on growing energy crops on contaminated lands and clean biofuel production, Potenciál rastlinných silíc z aromatických rastlín na lekárske použitie a na konzerváciu potravín, G7761450427, G8213652065, G8453797156, Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde - Tecnologias e Processos Limpos, G8911869519
OpenAlex ID: W7198364708