Rolliniastatin-1, a bis-tetrahydrofuran acetogenin: The major compound of Annona mucosa Jacq. (Annonaceae) has potent grain-protective properties

• Published in: Journal of stored products research 2020-12, Vol.89, p.101686, Article 101686
• Main Authors: Ribeiro, Leandro do Prado, Gonçalves, Gabriel Luiz Padoan, Bicalho, Keylla Utherdyany, Fernandes, João Batista, Vendramim, José Djair
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetogenins; Allelochemicals; Chromatographic techniques; Sitophilus zeamais
• ISSN: 0022-474X; 1879-1212
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jspr.2020.101686

The widespread use of synthetic insecticides results in insecticide-resistant populations of maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motsch. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a primary pest species of stored corn worldwide. Thus, new active ingredients with different modes of action are needed for integrated pest management (IPM) of stored grains. Thus, toxicological bioassays (using S. zeamais as bioindicator) associated to chromatographic techniques were performed to isolate insecticidal compounds from the grain-protective ethanolic extract of Annona mucosa Jacq. (Annonaceae) seeds. The acetogenin bis-tetrahydrofuran rolliniastatin-1 was identified as major bioactive constituent from A. mucosa seeds based on bioassay-guided fractionation, along with rolliniastatin-2, deethylrollinastatin-1, jimenezin and fractions containing triglycerides. This compound produced 51.1% of mortality of adult weevils when applied at 57.66 mg kg−1, drastically reducing F1 progeny and their damage to corn grains. Although the acute toxicity level was lower than that with the formulation based on diatomaceous earth at a concentration 17.3 times higher (Insecto®, at recommended rate) used as a positive control, rolliniastatin-1 protected grain statistically similar to that of the positive control. Furthermore, bioassays indicate that compounds of different chemical natures have a synergistic effect on the overall biological activity of seed derivatives of A. mucosa. Efficacy and technical viability of the process to obtain rolliniastatin-1 from the seeds of A. mucosa should allow the production of a botanical insecticide to control populations of S. zeamais at corn warehouses. •Bioassay-guided fractionations with derivatives prepared from Annona mucosa seeds were performed.•The acetogenin bis-tetrahydrofuran rolliniastatin-1 was identified as major bioactive constituent.•This compound promoted significant mortality of exposed weevils, drastically reducing F1 progeny and their damage to corn grains.•Rolliniastatin-1 protected grain statistically similar to that of a diatomaceous-earth based formulation.