Repellency of Hydroethanolic Extracts of Ricinus Communis (Euphorbiaceae) to Scyphophorus Acupunctatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in the Laboratory

Authors

  • Cinthia Pacheco-Sánchez
  • Patricia Villa-Ayala
  • Roberto Montes-Belmont
  • Rodolfo Figueroa-Brito
  • Alfredo Jiménez-Pérez

Abstract

The agave snout weevil Scyphophorus acupunctatus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an ubiquitous insect and the main pest of blue tequila agave, Agave tequilana Weber, and other agaves. This study reports the repellent effect of the hydroethanolic extract of the castor oil plant, Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae) wild and ‘Mirante’ cultivar on the adult’s behavior. Females and males visited untreated agave tissue more frequently than agave tissue treated with R. communis extracts. Insects visited agaves treated with seed extracts more frequently than those with leave extracts; therefore leaves of R. communis deserve a closer look to identify their properties and gauge their potential use as a repellent.

Resumen: El picudo del agave, Scyphophorus acupunctatus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), es un insecto cosmopolita y principal plaga del agave azul Agave tequilana Weber y otras agaváceas. Este estudio informa del efecto repelente de extractos hidroetanólicos de la “Higuerilla” Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae) variedad “Mirante” y silvestre sobre el adulto. Hembras y machos visitaron más veces pedazos de agave impregnados con extractos hidroetanólicos que aquellos no impregnados. Los insectos visitaron más veces los agaves tratados con extractos hidroetanólicos provenientes de semillas que de hojas, por lo que es necesario estudiar las hojas y evaluar su potencial como repelente de insectos.

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Published

2012-09-01

Issue

Vol. 95, No. 3 (September 2012)

Section

Research Papers

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