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Phytochemical profile and insecticidal activity of Agave americana leaf extract towards Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

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Abstract

The main objective of the present study is to introduce a new and ecologically safe method for managing the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae. Therefore, the Agave americana leaf extract’s phytochemical profile, and its insecticidal activity against the adults of S. oryzae were evaluated. The A. americana leaf extract was screened for the following phytochemicals: total phenolics (14.70 ± 0.31 mg GAE/g FW), total flavonoids (5.15 ± 0.18 mg RE/g FW) and saponins (10.32 ± 0.20 mg OAE/g FW). The HPLC-ESI/TOF-MS analysis results revealed that flavonoid glycosides (kaempferol, quercetin, and isorhamnetin derivates) were the major phenolic compounds of the A. americana leaf extract. In addition, the GC-MS analysis identified n-alkanes (77.77%) as significant compounds of the lipophilic fraction from the leaf extract. Moreover, the insecticidal potential was assessed through contact and repellent bioassays towards the rice weevil adults. The LD50, LC50, and RC50 values were 10.55 μg/insect, 8.99 μg/cm2, and 0.055 μg/cm2 for topical application method, treated filter-paper method, and repellent bioassay, respectively. Furthermore, the A. americana leaf extract inhibited digestive enzyme activities, and median inhibition concentrations IC50 were evaluated to be 146.06 ± 1.74 and 86.18 ± 1.08 μg/mL for α-amylase and protease, respectively. Overall, our results highlighted the promising potential of the leaf extract against S. oryzae adults, allowing us to recommend the extract under investigation as an ecofriendly alternative to synthetic insecticides.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Tunisia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Biotechnology Applied to Agriculture (LBAA), National Agricultural Research Institute of Tunisia, INRAT, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, University of Carthage, 2080, Tunis Cedex, Tunisia

    Asma Mami Maazoun, Feten Belhadj & Mohamed Nejib Marzouki

  2. Laboratory of Protein Engineering and Bioactive Molecules, (LIP-MB), National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, INSAT, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, University of Carthage, 1080, Tunis Cedex, Tunisia

    Asma Mami Maazoun, Soumaya Haouel Hamdi & Jouda Mediouni Ben Jemâa

  3. Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, INSAT, Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, University of Carthage, 1080, Tunis Cedex, Tunisia

    Chokri Messaoud

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Maazoun, A.M., Hamdi, S.H., Belhadj, F. et al. Phytochemical profile and insecticidal activity of Agave americana leaf extract towards Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 19468–19480 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-05316-6

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