Entomology Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Entomology, including details on insects, parasites, diseases. | ||||||||
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Evaluation of volatile low molecular weight insecticides using Drosophila melanogaster as a model.Scharf ME, Nguyen SN, Song C Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. mescharf@ifas.ufl.edu Volatile insecticides, otherwise known as fumigants, have numerous uses in pest control and integrated pest management. Fumigants have been broadly applied in the protection of stored agricultural commodities and also in the elimination of structural pest infestations. However, fumigants have so far been mostly overlooked for use in management of public health pests such as flies and mosquitoes. This paper reports information on the development of a volatility bioassay for use in evaluating volatile insecticides against dipteran insects and on the use of this bioassay to compare the relative efficacy of 30 candidate compounds to Drosophila melanogaster Meig. The findings revealed seven highly effective insecticidal compounds, which include three heterobicyclics (menthofuran, thiophene and coumaran) and four formate esters [butyl, hexyl and heptyl formate and ethylene glycol diformate (EGDF)]. Ethyl formate, a compound previously identified as being a highly effective fumigant against coleopteran stored product pests, caused toxicity in Drosophila but was not as effective as other tested formates. Two volatile fumigant insecticides, dichlorvos (DDVP) and methyl isothiocyanate (MITC), were also tested as positive controls. Both of these volatile standards were significantly more toxic than the seven most effective of the novel compounds. Finally, regression analyses revealed that volatility is not entirely predictive of acute toxicity and that other structural features should be considered when designing and synthesizing volatile insecticidal compounds for future study. Published 19 June 2006 in Pest Manag Sci, 62(7): 655-63.
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