Phytochemical synergists: the potential of plant oils to enhance diverse insecticides.

Monday, February 19, 2018 - 4:10pm
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Edmund Norris, Iowa State University, Department of Entomology

Ph.D. defense seminar.

Abstract. New insecticides are needed more than ever because of the problem with insecticide-resistant insects, particularly mosquitoes. Plant essential oils contain numerous molecules that may represent novel insecticidal chemistries. My project investigates the potential of using plant essential oils as additives to insecticidal formulations against Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae. Baseline toxicities of 33 plant oils were assessed against these two species and specific chemical properties of the most successful oils were characterized. Various essential oil and synthetic pyrethroid pairings were screened to assess enhancement of the pyrethroid against Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae. This screening showed these combinations successfully enhanced pyrethroids against all strains of mosquitoes that were exposed. This research demonstrates the potential of plant essential oils in future insecticidal formulations for the control of vectors of human disease.

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