title: Chemical composition and biological activity of star anise Illicium verum extracts against maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais adults.
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.
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China linlinwei137@163.com.
authors.forename: Linlin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: College of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China rimaohua@126.com.
authors.forename: Rimao
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China sj412bq@163.com.
authors.forename: Maoye
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China hyz7508@sohu.com.
authors.forename: Yanzhang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China lsg815@163.com.
authors.forename: Shiguang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Plant Protection, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China heyujie-1986@163.com.
authors.forename: Yujie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Anhui Zhonggu State Grain Reserve Warehouse, Hefei 231131, China zonghaishen@126.com.
authors.forename: Zonghai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D029523:Illicium / Q000737:chemistry*; D007302:Insect Repellents / Q000032:analysis*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D048889:Weevils
chemical_list: D007302:Insect Repellents; D007306:Insecticides; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: contact toxicity; gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; repellency