Unveiling the insecticidal efficiency of Viola ignobilis against Macrosiphum rosae and Agonoscena pistaciae: From chemical composition to cytotoxicity analysis
Mohammad Sadegh Taghizadeh, Ali Niazi, Bernhard Retzl, Christian W. Gruber
Abstract
Currently, there is a growing preference for eco-friendly bioinsecticides over chemical insecticides due to their safety. Plant extracts have emerged as a promising solution for this purpose. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the insecticidal effectiveness of Viola ignobilis extract against two key pests of rose aphid ( Macrosiphum rosae ) and pistachio psylla ( Agonoscena pistaciae ). Significant compounds were identified using GC-MS and MALDI-TOF MS. Three bioassay methods were employed to assess the extract's insecticidal potential, and its cytotoxicity was tested on HEK293 cells. Results revealed that the highest insecticidal efficacy occurred at a concentration of 20 mg/mL after a 72 h exposure. The contact bioassay method displayed greater efficiency against M. rosae than A. pistaciae , while the oral bioassay demonstrated the highest efficiency against A. pistaciae . The extract also acted as a feeding deterrent, with indices of 77.47 ± 7.98 % and 87.98 ± 3.84 % for A. pistaciae and M. rosae , respectively. Furthermore, the insecticidal potency of the extract was assessed, resulting in LC 50 values of 3.58 mg/mL and 6.77 mg/mL for the contact bioassay, and 0.87 mg/mL and 0.61 mg/mL for the oral bioassay against M. rosae and A. pistaciae , respectively. Importantly, the extract showed no detrimental cytotoxic effects on the HEK293 cell line within the tested concentration range, indicating its potential safety as a bioinsecticide. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of V. ignobilis extract as a promising candidate for further development in pest control.