Academic Journal of Entomology 6 (3): 153-161, 2013 ISSN 1995-8994 © IDOSI Publications, 2013 DOI: 10.5829/idosi.aje.2013.6.3.76156 Corresponding Author: G.E. Delgado-Paredes, Facultad De Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Pedro Ruiz Gallo, Ciudad Universitaria, Juan XXIII No 391, Lambayeque, Perú. 153 Insecticidal Activity of Piper tuberculatum Extracts on the Cotton Stainer Bug, Dysdercus peruvianus Guérin-Méneville (Hemiptera: Pyrrhocoridae) Nathalie L. Mendoza-Frías, Lisset J. Monsalve-Asencio, Consuelo Rojas-Idrogo, 1 1 1 Massuo J. Kato and Guillermo E. Delgado-Paredes 2 1 Departamento Académico De Botánica, Facultad De Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional 1 Pedro Ruiz Gallo, Ciudad Universitaria, Juan XXIII N° 391, Lambayeque, Perú Instituto De Química, Universidade De São Paulo, CP 26077, 05599-970, São Paulo-SP, Brazil 2 Abstract: Development of alternative methods for pest management is needed due to the increased concern for adverse effects of pesticides for human health and for the environment. The adulticidal activity of the neotropical Piper tuberculatum was evaluated. The acute toxicities to the cotton stainer bug, Dysdercus peruvianus Guérin-Méneville, of both extracts of mature spikes and in vitro plants of P. tuberculatum were evaluated by means of spray treatments. Dichloromethane:methanol (2:1) extracts of mature spikes showed significant levels of adult mortality causing 91.1 and 97.8% mortality when doses of 0.012 mg/µL were applied to the D. peruvianus in 24 and 48 h of exposure, respectively, with LD 0.006 mg/µL 50 and LD 0,010 mg/µL, in 48 h of exposure. The dichloromethane:methanol (2:1) extract from in vitro plants 90 caused 80% mortality when doses of 0.012 mg/µL were applied in 96 h of exposure with LD 0.007 mg/µL and 50 LD 0.015 mg/µL, in 96 h of exposure. 90 Key words: Adult Mortality In vitro Propagation Insecticide Lethal Doses Piperaceae INTRODUCTION D. maurus, cotton stainer bug, are also economically The genus Dysdercus currently contain about 65 Brazil [5], respectively. species, occurring in the tropical and subtropical parts of The current method used to control the Central and South America, Africa, Asia, the Malay D. peruvianus and other insect pests, is based mainly on Archipelago and Australia. Most of Dysdercus species the use of organochlorine and organophosphorous feed on various species belonging to Malvaceae familiy insecticides. However, the indiscriminate use of synthetic in special from Gossypium genus. A detailed review of the insecticides has caused environmental contaminations literature on the economic importance of members of the and toxicity to living organisms with reduction in Dysdercus genus was provided by Schaefer and Ahmad populations of beneficial insects, resurgence and eruption [1]. of pests and loss of effectiveness due to the selection of The cotton stainer bug (Dysdercus peruvianus resistant populations, indicating the need for the Guérin-Méneville, 1831) causes serious damage by development of not hazardous products to the feeding on developing bolls and ripe cotton seeds and environment, target-specific and biodegradable [6, 7]. staining the fibers [2]. D. peruvianus, an insect pest in Thus, the development of new biological products cotton crops (Gossypium hirsutum and G. barbadense), such as insecticidal proteins that interfere with the cause heavy economic losses, reaching 5 – 30% in digestive process can be an alternative strategy for the Lambayeque, Peru [3]. Others cotton stainer as control against Dysdercus bugs. For example, D. cingulatus, commonly known as red cotton bug and canatoxin-like proteins and peptides derived from important crop pests in several regions of India [4] and