African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6915

Full Length Research Paper

Bioactivity and phenolic composition of extracts of noni (Morinda citrifolia L., Rubiaceae) in tomato moth (Tuta absoluta Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

Rubens Pessoa de Barros
  • Rubens Pessoa de Barros
  • Department of Biological Sciences, State University of Alagoas, Campus I, Brazil.
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Ligia Sampaio Reis
  • Ligia Sampaio Reis
  • Plant Protection at the Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil.
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Joao Gomes da Costa
  • Joao Gomes da Costa
  • Embrapa Coastal Tracks, Rio Largo-AL, Brazil.
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Amanda Lima Cunha
  • Amanda Lima Cunha
  • Biological Sciences and Chemistry, State University of Alagoas, Arapiraca-AL, Brazil.
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Isabelle Cristina Santos Magalhaes
  • Isabelle Cristina Santos Magalhaes
  • Biological Sciences and Chemistry, State University of Alagoas, Arapiraca-AL, Brazil.
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Claudio Galdino da Silva
  • Claudio Galdino da Silva
  • Biological Sciences and Chemistry, State University of Alagoas, Arapiraca-AL, Brazil.
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Aldenir Feitosa dos Santos
  • Aldenir Feitosa dos Santos
  • Department of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual de Alagoas, Brazil.
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Jhonatan David Santos das Neves
  • Jhonatan David Santos das Neves
  • Institute of Land and Agrarian Reform of Alagoas, Brazil.
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Adriana Guimaraes Duarte
  • Adriana Guimaraes Duarte
  • Plant Protection, Agrarian Sciences Center, CECA/UFAL, Brazil.
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Gabriela Souto Vieira de Mello
  • Gabriela Souto Vieira de Mello
  • Federal Institute of Alagoas, IFAL, Brazil.
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Johnnatan Duarte de Freitas
  • Johnnatan Duarte de Freitas
  • Federal Institute of Alagoas, IFAL, Brazil.
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Jonas dos Santos Sousa
  • Jonas dos Santos Sousa
  • Federal Institute of Alagoas, IFAL, Brazil.
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Simone Paes Bastos Franco
  • Simone Paes Bastos Franco
  • Federal Institute of Alagoas, IFAL, Brazil.
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  •  Received: 08 August 2018
  •  Accepted: 05 September 2018
  •  Published: 27 September 2018

Abstract

We evaluated the bioactivity of Morinda citrifolia L., Rubiaceae on Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and quantified the phenolic components. Ethanolic extracts of leaves and fruits were used in five concentrations (0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04 and 0.05 mg / L). The leaves of the plants were immersed in the solution (10 s) and placed in contact with five caterpillars of the same instar in Petri dishes. The caterpillars were kept under controlled conditions, temperature of 25 ± 1 ° C, and relative humidity of 65 ± 10%, photophase of 12 h. The experimental design was completely randomized with five concentrations, five replicates with two different extracts, the control being distilled water. The phenolic composition of the extracts was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) based on the retention times using the standard external method. Leaf extracts and fruits of M. citrifolia had bioinseticidal activity against caterpillars (leaves at 0.02 mg / L gave 100% mortality and fruits at 0.03 mg / L gave 46.08% mortality). The greater efficiency of leaves can be attributed to their high percentage of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Eleven phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in extracts of leaves and fruits that showed significant bioactivity.

Key words: Plant bioinsecticides, secondary metabolism, plant protection, damages, olericulture.

 

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