Glucosinolate breakdown products as insect fumigants and their effect on carbon dioxide emission of insects

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Glucosinolate breakdown products are volatile, therefore good candidates for insect fumigants. However, although they are insecticidal, the mode of action of such natural products is not clear. We studied the insecticidal effect of these compounds as fumigants, and monitored the production of carbon dioxide by the insects as a probe to the understanding of their mode of action.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The fumigation 24-h LC₅₀ against the house fly (<it>Musca domestica</it> L.) of allyl thiocyanate, allyl isothiocyanate, allyl cyanide, and l-cyano-2-hydroxy-3-butene was 0.1, 0.13, 3.66, and 6.2 μg cm^-3, respectively; they were 0.55, 1.57, 2.8, and > 19.60 μg cm^-3, respectively, against the lesser grain borer (<it>Rhyzopertha dominica</it> Fabricius). The fumigation toxicity of some of the glucosinolate products was very close to or better than that of the commercial insect fumigants such as chloropicrin (LC₅₀: 0.08 and 1.3 μg cm^-3 against <it>M. domestica</it> and <it>R. dominica</it>, respectively) and dichlorovos (LC₅₀: < 0.02 and 0.29 μg cm^-3 against <it>M. domestica</it> and <it>R. dominica</it>, respectively) in our laboratory tests. Significantly increased CO₂ expiration was found in insects exposed to the vapor of allyl isothiocyanate, allyl thiocyanate and allyl isocyanate. Allyl isothiocyanate was also found to increase the CO₂ expiration of the American cockroach (<it>Periplaneta americana</it> L.).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Glucosinolate breakdown products have potential as biodegradable and safe insect fumigants. They may act on the insect respiratory system in their mode of action.</p>

Abstract licence: CC BY

• Health Benefits of Plant-Derived Sulfur Compounds, Glucosinolates, and Organosulfur Compounds · 2020

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