Insecticidal activity of the ethanol extract of Eugenia dysenterica (Myrtaceae) on leaf-cutting ants

Abstract

The control method most used for leaf-cutting ant Atta laevigata (Smith, 1858) is the synthetic chemical, however, this is considered a major generator of environmental and human health problems. Natural alternatives and methods, such as the use of plant extracts, can add benefits to the ecological system. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the insecticidal potential of the ethanol extract of Eugenia dysenterica (Mart.) in the control of leaf-cutting ants. The bioassay was carried out in a completely randomized design, with six concentrations of cagaita extract (0; 0.001; 0.025; 0.05; 0.075; 0.1 g mL^-1) and 3 replicates. The            leaf-cutting ant workers (adults) were placed in gerboxes soaked with plant extracts. Leaf-cutting ants, in the contact surface test, show mortality with increasing concentration of the extract. The mortality rate varied according to the part of the plant used in the extract, with the highest mortality related to extracts from cagaiteira flowers.