Biological activities of lignans and neolignans on the aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer)

Lignans and neolignans have been reported to exert different biological activities, including insecticidal ones. Three lignans, secoisolariciresinol (SECO), secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), and anhydrosecoisolariciresinol (AHS), and one neolignan, dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol-4-β-d-glucoside (DCG), were isolated from flax. Their insecticidal properties were evaluated on the aphid Myzus persicae reared on artificial diet. Life history parameters, i.e., nymphal survival, prereproductive period, and daily fecundity, were assessed and used to calculate the intrinsic rate of natural increase and the doubling time of aphid populations. Compared to the control, SDG and DCG significantly increased aphid mortality by at least 25 %, while SECO and AHS did not affect their survival. SDG did not affect life history parameters, except at the highest concentration of 100 μg/mL, which increased the population’s doubling time by more than 5 days. DCG altered all the life history parameters at all concentrations assayed. SECO induced significant deleterious effects on the aphids, except at the highest concentration of 100 μg/mL. AHS only altered prereproductive period, which increased by at least 2 days at 50 and 100 μg/mL. Lignans and neolignans are potential new bioinsecticides against aphids in the context of alternative management programs.