Extraction and chemical characterisation of agro-waste from turmeric leaves as a source of bioactive essential oils with insecticidal and antioxidant activities.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is a significant crop that has historically been used worldwide as a medicinal plant, spice, food colouring agent, and a significant ingredient in cosmetic industries. After harvesting rhizomes, leaves are considered waste material. This research study aims to extract and chemically characterise the essential oil from the leaves waste of turmeric with an evaluation of different insecticidal, antioxidant, and phytotoxic activities. Subsequently, the contact toxicity, fumigant toxicity, and repellent activity were evaluated against two key stored grain insect species. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) characterisation revealed that α-phellandrene (28.95%), 2-carene (16.51%), eucalyptol (10.54%) and terpinolene (10.24%) were the major chemical constituents. The study's findings on the insecticidal effects of essential oils extracted from turmeric leaves revealed noteworthy repellent, contact (at 24 h, LC50 = 6.51 mg/cm2 for Tribolium castaneum and LC50 = 4.74 mg/cm2 for Rhyzopertha dominica) and fumigant toxicities (at 24 h, LC50 = 2.57 mg/L air for T. castaneum and LC50 = 2.83 mg/L air for R. dominica), against two key stored grain insects. In addition, turmeric leaf essential oil showed notable antioxidant activity (IC50 = 10.04 ± 0.03 µg/mL for DPPH assay; IC50 = 14.12 ± 0.21 µg/mL for ABTS assay. Furthermore, a phytotoxicity study was carried out on stored paddy seeds and no toxic effects were found on germination rate and seedling growth. So, it might be expected that the essential oils extracted from the turmeric leaf waste could be valorised and demonstrate their potential as safe botanical insecticides against stored-product insects, with noble antioxidant properties.

Characterization of insecticidal metabolite oosporein in Lecanicillium saksenae (Kushwaha) Kurihara and Sukarno, a geographically distinct isolate from Kerala, India.

Lecanicillium saksenae, an indigenous isolate from Kerala, India is a potent entomopathogen against hemipteran pests. The wine-red pigmentation produced by this isolate distinguishes it from many other isolates of L. saksenae reported across the globe. This study, therefore, sought to isolate and characterize the pigment molecule. The wine-red pigment extracted through liquid - liquid partition of the fungal culture was subjected to structural characterization and identification through UV spectrometry, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR), High Resolution Liquid Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry (HR-LCMS) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometry (NMR). It was unambiguously identified as a dibenzoquinone compound, oosporein, a known bioactive insecticidal metabolite. The empirical formula of which was confirmed as C14H10O8 and molecular weight, m/z 306.22. The dose dependent bioefficacy of oosporein with 1000 ppm at 96 h recorded a mortality of 60.25 per cent in nymphs of brinjal mealybug, Coccidohystrix insolita, while it was still lower (51.00%) in adults. In this study, we could identify that L. saksenae reported from Kerala, India was geographically distinct. Sequence analysis based on 18srDNA and phylogenetic analysis confirmed the species identity of this indigenous isolate with that of L. saksenae documented in NCBI. This finding paves the way for the possibilities of tapping the potential of bioactive metabolites for pest management and uplifting the species as a potent bioagent in insect pest management programmes.

The potential global distribution of the papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus, a polyphagous pest.

BACKGROUND: The papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus, is a highly polyphagous invasive pest that affects more than 200 plants, many of which are of economic importance. We modelled the potential distribution of P. marginatus using CLIMEX, a process-oriented, climate-based niche model. We combined this model with spatial data on irrigation and cropping patterns to increase the real-world applicability of the model. RESULTS: The resulting model agreed with known distribution points for this pest and with broad areas where P. marginatus has been reported, but for which no GPS data were available. Our model highlights the potential expansion of P. marginatus into novel areas in Central and East Africa, as well as further expansion in Central America and Asia, as these areas are highly climatically suitable, and have large expanses of suitable crop hosts. It also highlights areas, such as the central and eastern states of the USA as well as the western provinces of China, that are suitable for seasonal invasions of P. marginatus. CONCLUSION: Our results offer refined resolution on areas with high potential for invasion by P. marginatus. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.