Effiiency of the Essential Oil of Porophyllum linaria (Asteraceae) a Mexican Endemic Plant Against Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The insecticidal and repellent effect of essential oil isolated from fresh leaves of Porophyllum linaria on maize weevil was evaluated, as well as the effect on the grain germination after treated. In total, 28 constituents were identified by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry accounting for 99.86% of whole essential oil. The main majority compounds were β-myrcene (41.94%), D-limonene (20.29%), and estragole (20.03%). Contact toxicity significantly increased with dose and time after treatment. With the 800 ppm (highest concentration), the mortality (%) obtained for the tenth and fifteenth day was 43 and 82%, respectively, whereas with 50 ppm (lowest concentration) 30% mortality was obtained at the end of the experiment (fifteenth day). At 15 d (end of the experiment), the LC(50) y LC(90) were obtained with values of 329.01 ± 44.35 y 1058.86 ± 117.76 ppm, respectively. For a concentration of 800 ppm, a selection index of zero was obtained, indicating the preference of the pest to the untreated maize (control). The maize grains germination test showed a significant reduction both in the length of hypocotyl and radicle of maize grain. So, in the highest dose, the hypocotyl and radicle length was 1.40 ± 0.34 and 9.14 ± 0.55 cm, respectively, whereas the control group registered 3.28 ± 0.39 and 13.02 ± 0.97 cm, respectively. This finding is promising since as it could result in the identification of botanical substances capable of suppressing maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais development.