Antifeedant Activity of Nanoemulsion Formulation of Arugula Eruca sativa Oil on Elm Leaf Beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

The antifeedant activity of nanoemulsion formulation of arugula Eruca sativa Mill. oil was studied against elm leaf beetle Xanthogaleruca luteola (Müller)(Col.:Chrysomelidae) under laboratory conditions at 25±1ºC, 75±5% RH, and LD 16:8 hours. Ingestive LC50 values of the oil were studied in third instar larvae. Then, physiological parameters were evaluated following 24, 48, and 72 hours post feeding at LC50 level. LC50 values 24, 48 and 72 hours after application were 4.940, 3.791, and 2.938 mg mL-1, respectively. Arugula oil at LC50 level decreased the nutritional indices including efficiency of conversion of ingested food, relative growth rate, efficiency of conversion of digested food, and relative consumption rate, but increased feeding deterrence index significantly 72 hours post feeding. Nutritional reserves such as total carbohydrate, protein, and lipid contents and also digestive enzymes containing lipase, α-amylase, and protease activity were decreased showing post-ingestive toxicity. The activity of the detoxifying enzyme glutathione S-transferase was increased, indicating that this enzyme may be involved in detoxification of arugula oil, but general esterase did not change significantly. In general, it can be concluded that arugula oil possess antifeedant activity against X. luteola under laboratory condition. It seems that arugula oil has a great potential to be used as effective botanical pesticides. However, further studies such as greenhouse and field experiments are necessary before recommendation and commercialization process.