Insecticidal properties of eugenol, isoeugenol and methyleugenol and their effects on nutrition of Sitophilus zeamais Motsch. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Abstract

Eugenol, isoeugenol and methyleugenol showed similar contact toxicity to Sitophilus zeamais (LD50 values approximately 30 μg/mg insect). For Tribolium castaneum, the order of potency of these chemicals compared by the LD50 level was isoeugenol>eugenol>methyleugenol. Furthermore, S. zeamais was generally more susceptible than T. castaneum to these three compounds except for isoeugenol based on the LD50 level. When sublethal doses (doses that produce no appreciable mortality) of eugenol, isoeugenol and methyleugenol were topically applied to adults of either species of beetles pre-treated with deltamethrin, the toxicity of deltamethrin was enhanced. A flour disc bioassay using no-choice tests was employed to assess, in terms of food consumption and growth rate, the susceptibility of S. zeamais and T. castaneum to media treated with eugenol, isoeugenol, and methyleugenol. Only eugenol significantly (P