Compound plant extracts effect on Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) and its parasitoid Tamarixia radiata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Objective: To evaluate the effect of extracts composed of Murraya paniculata, Cocos nucifera, Syzygium aromaticum, and Psidium guajava on Diaphorina citri and Tamarixia radiata. Scope: Provide management alternatives for the control of D. citri without affecting its primary parasitoid. Methodology: Extraction of active principles from plant species was carried out by Soxhlet extraction and vacuum rotaevaporation, determination of volatile compounds by solid phase micro extraction (SPME), and evaluation of its effect on the insects with double-choice olfactometry tests, analyzing the results using the preference index (IP=2T/T+C), contrasted by analysis of variance and comparison of means with Duncan’s test. Main Results: D. citri showed a preference for the volatile compounds of M. paniculata (IP 1.7) and no preference for S. aromaticum (IP 0.9), the Evaluations with C. nucifera and P. guajava yielded an IP of 1.2 and 1 respectively, without presenting significant differences in the choice, however, the individuals died minutes after the interaction with the extracts. On the other hand, in the evaluations for T. radiata, no significant differences were detected between the means of the treatment preference indices. Conclusions: The evaluated species presented attractive, repellent and insecticidal biological activity on D. citri without affecting its parasitoid T. radiata. These findings support the feasibility of developing alternative management proposals with compound plant extracts, suggesting their integration into a management plan. of the plague.