Repellency and Toxicity of Eight Plant Extracts against the Western Flower Thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis

We investigated the repellency and toxicity of eight plant extracts containing celangulin, cnidium lactone, matrine, nicotine, pyrethrins, rotenone, stemonine and veratrine against the western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande; Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Flowers treated with 0.05% nicotine, pyrethrins, stemonine and rotenone harbored fewer western flower thrips in two- and multiple-choice repellency bioassays. When evaluated at concentrations varying from 0.005% to 0.1% in two-choice repellency bioassays, pyrethrins and rotenone were most repellent at 0.01% to 0.1%, and nicotine was most repellent at 0.025%. Mortality was 76% with 0.1% nicotine at 48 h, 78% with 0.5% stemonine at 72 h, and 100% with 0.1% pyrethrins and 0.5% rotenone at 48 h after contact with fresh (<1-d-old) residue. Effective residue age was 1 d for nicotine, pyrethrins and rotenone, and 5 d for stemonine in aged residual toxicity bioassays. Celangulin, cnidium lactone, matrine and veratrine did not provide sufficient repellency and toxicity. Stemonine had inconsistent results. Therefore, additional evaluation of its potential as a botanical insecticide will be needed. When sprayed onto whole plants, plant extracts containing nicotine, pyrethrins, rotenone and stemonine caused unacceptable damage to flowers, suggesting that the final formulation will need to be modified to improve crop safety.

Automated summary

The repellency and toxicity of eight plant extracts against western flower thrips were investigated. Certain extracts containing nicotine, pyrethrins, rotenone, and stemonine showed repellency and reduced thrips population. Pyrethrins and rotenone were most effective at concentrations of 0.01% to 0.1%, while nicotine was most effective at 0.025%. The mortality rates were high for nicotine, stemonine, pyrethrins, and rotenone. Celangulin, cnidium lactone, matrine, and veratrine did not provide sufficient repellency and toxicity. The use of stemonine as a botanical insecticide requires further evaluation.