J Insect Sci. 2014;14:80. doi: 10.1093/jis/14.1.80.

Chemical composition and biological activity of star anise Illicium verum extracts against maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais adults.

Wei L1, Hua R2, Li M3, Huang Y4, Li S5, He Y6, Shen Z7.

Author information

• 1College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China linlinwei137@163.com.
• 2College of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China rimaohua@126.com.
• 3College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China sj412bq@163.com.
• 4College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China hyz7508@sohu.com.
• 5College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China lsg815@163.com.
• 6College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China heyujie-1986@163.com.
• 7Anhui Zhonggu State Grain Reserve Warehouse, Hefei 231131, China zonghaishen@126.com.

Abstract

This study aims to develop eco-friendly botanical pesticides. Dried fruits of star anise (Illicium verum Hook.f. (Austrobaileyales: Schisandraceae)) were extracted with methyl alcohol (MA), ethyl acetate (EA), and petroleum ether (PE) at 25°C. The constituents were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the repellency and contact toxicity of the extracts against Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) adults were tested. Forty-four compounds, whose concentrations were more than 0.2%, were separated and identified from the MA, EA, and PE extracts. The extraction yields of trans-anethole, the most abundant biologically active compound in I. verum, were 9.7%, 7.5%, and 10.1% in the MA, EA, and PE extracts, respectively. Repellency increased with increasing extract dose. The average repellency rate of the extracts against S. zeamais adults peaked at 125.79 µg/cm(2) 72 hr after treatment. The percentage repellency of the EA extract reached 76.9%, making it a class IV repellent. Contact toxicity assays showed average mortalities of 85.4% (MA), 94.5% (EA), and 91.1% (PE). The EA extract had the lowest median lethal dose, at 21.2 µg/cm(2) 72 hr after treatment. The results suggest that I. verum fruit extracts and trans-anethole can potentially be developed as a grain protectant to control stored-product insect pests. Other active constituents in the EA extract merit further research.

This is an open access paper. We use the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license that permits unrestricted use, provided that the paper is properly attributed.

KEYWORDS:

contact toxicity; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; repellency

PMID:

25368036