Background: Tetranychus urticae Koch, is a polyphagous and damaging pest, presenting several resistant populations worldwide. Among new and more environmentally friendly control tools, botanical pesticides represent a valuable alternative to synthetic ones within integrated pest management strategies. Accordingly, we investigated the lethal and sublethal effects of carlina oxide isolated from Carlina acaulis (Asteraceae) roots on T.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAmong botanical insecticides based on essential oils (EOs) or their main components, EO and the aromatic polyacetylene carlina oxide, constituting more than 90% of its EO, were recently proven to be effective against the larvae and adults of some insect vectors and pests. In this study, the toxicity of EO and carlina oxide were tested on adults using a protein bait formulation. The LC values of the EO and carlina oxide were 706 ppm and 1052 ppm, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPlant essential oil-based insecticides, with special reference to those that may be obtained from largely available biomasses, represent a valuable tool for Integrated Pest Management. However, the sublethal effects and the potential effects on aggressive insect traits of these green insecticides are understudied. Herein, the lethal and sub-lethal effects of the carlina oxide, constituting more than 97% of the whole Carlina acaulis (Asteraceae) root essential oil (EO), were determined against an invasive polyphagous tephritid pest, Ceratitis capitata (medfly).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, the composition of the cultivable microbial populations of 38 nectar honey and honeydew honey samples of different botanical and geographical origin were assessed. After growth in specific media, various colonies with different appearance were isolated and purified before phenotypic (morphological, physiological and biochemical traits) and genotypic [randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), repetitive DNA elements-PCR (rep-PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)] differentiation. The identification was carried out by 16S rRNA gene sequencing for bacteria and, in addition to RFLP, by sequencing the D1/D2 region of the 26S rRNA gene for yeasts and the 5.
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