Plant-Based Insecticides for Control of Aedes aegypti, Sitophilus zeamais and Nasutitermes corniger: A Review and Bibliometric Analysis
Lucas Gabriel Pita dos Santos
Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
Beatriz de Aquino Marques da Costa
Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
Welton Aaron de Almeida
Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil and Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
Talyta Naldeska da Silva
Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
Gabriel da Silva Coutinho
Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
Thiago Henrique Napoleão
Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
Tatiana Souza Porto
Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
Emmanuel Viana Pontual *
Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Insect pests can transmit diseases or affect the economy and their uncontrolled growth is intensified by human activity, which has affected ecosystems and interfered with trophic chains. Aedes aegypti L. transmits dengue, chikungunya, zika and yellow fever, while Sitophilus zeamais Motsch is a stored grain pest, and Nasutitermes corniger Motsch attacks trees and urban buildings. This work provides a review of the state of art and current trends, as well as a bibliometric analysis on the insecticidal activity of plant-based products against Ae. aegypti, S. zeamais and N. corniger. The review of literature data showed that plant insecticides comprise secondary metabolites and proteins that can impair the viability of embryos, larvae, pupae, and adults, as well as fertility and oviposition or feeding behavior of insects. Also, they tend to be more biodegradable and less harmful to non-target organisms compared to synthetic insecticides. The bibliometric analysis revealed the concentration of publications in tropical regions worldwide, where there is a strong occurrence of diseases transmitted by Ae. aegypti. These reports were far more numerous than those on N. corniger and S. zeamais. Furthermore, the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles from plant products has strongly emerged as a current trend.
Keywords: Agricultural pest, insects, insecticides, proteins, secondary metabolites, vectors