Evaluation of the acaricidal activity of the main components of a citrus extract
Author of the article:HU Jun-Hua** PENG Feng-Ge WANG Juan ZHOU Na WANG Xue-Lian YAO Ting-Shan
Author's Workplace:Citrus Research Institute, Southwest University, National Citrus Engineering Research Center, Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Fruit Tree Science, Southwest Region, Ministry of Agriculture, Chongqing 400712, China
Key Words:citrus extract, acaricidal ingredient, acaricidal activity, Panonychus citri
Abstract:
[Objectives] The acaricidal activity of the main components of a citrus extract was evaluated in order to develop a novel botanical acaricide. [Methods] Volatile components of the peel and seeds of citrus variety Beibei 447 were extracted with either ethanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, or petroleum ether, and the acaricidal activity of the 4 kinds of extracts evaluated. The main chemical ingredients of the ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts were analyzed using GCMS. The active ingredient of the four kinds of extracts were determined by the contact acaricidal activity of the different components. [Results] Ethanol extract had the strongest acaricidal activity of the compounds tested in the slide impregnation bioassay method, followed by peel extract. The extract from seeds had the lowest acaricidal activity. 35 compounds, which comprise more than 85% of the total content, were present in either ethanol, or ethyl acetate, extracts. These extracts mainly contained limonene, citral, 4-Carvomenthenol and linalool. The acaricidal activity of limonene was higher than that of citral, β-pinene, 4-Carvomenthenol and linalool. [Conclusion] The main acaricidal components of citrus extracts were limonene, citral, 4-Carvomenthenol, linalool and β-pinene. The development and utilization of citrus extracts, and the creation of a novel botanical acaricide containing limonene as the main ingredient, has great potential.