Toxicity and synergism of the essential oil of Piper aduncum L. in populations of Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)1

ABSTRACT Researches on the use of essential oil of Piper aduncum L. (EOPA) as a synergist in stored grain pests are still incipient. This study aimed to determine the toxicity of deltamethrin and EOPA, as well as to study the effect of the binary mixture of EOPA + deltamethrin, on five Sitophilus zeamais Brazilian populations. The toxicity was investigated based on concentration-mortality data from deltamethrin and EOPA in thirteen S. zeamais populations. The standard susceptibility population of ¼ LC20 was used with the deltamethrin combinations to generate lethal concentrations capable of causing 50 and 95 % of mortality (LC50 and LC95). A binary mixture of EOPA x deltamethrin was also tested in five S. zeamais populations to detect the synergistic effect with the deltamethrin. The concentration-mortality curves were generated, and the residual toxicity values after 24 h of exposure ranged 0.003-0.08 µL cm-2 for deltamethrin, 0.04-2.038 µL cm-2 for EOPA and 0.0016-0.014 µL cm-2 for the binary mixture. The S. zeamais populations showed an uneven toxicity in response to the deltamethrin. The Jacarezinho (Paraná state) population showed resistance, with toxicity ratios for LC50 increasing by 3.06 and 4.13 times, when compared to susceptible populations, for EOPA and deltamethrin, respectively. The Barbacena (Minas Gerais state) population was considered as the susceptibility standard in the EOPA toxicity bioassays. The binary mixture suppressed the resistance mechanism of the tested S. zeamais populations due to the synergistic action of the bioinsecticide with the deltamethrin.