Identification of allitol and d-allulose from Itea virginica as insect growth inhibitors for the control of Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

To prevent the loss of grains in stored products due to pests, an alternative pest control technique to insecticide spraying is required. The use of natural materials for this purpose can be beneficial, and in this context, we screened 21 plants and found that an Iteaceae plant inhibited the growth of lepidopteran insect larvae. Accordingly, following purification and analysis of the plant extract from I. virginica leaves, allitol and d-allulose (psicose) were identified as growth inhibitors against larvae of the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The contents of allitol and d-allulose in I. virginica leaves were estimated to be 14.4 and 4.17 mg/g fr. wt, respectively, and their half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) values were 15.7 and 30.3 mg/g diet, respectively. Therefore, the growth inhibition activity in I. virginica leaves was mainly attributed to the presence of allitol. However, both compounds may be used in insecticidal reagents, and in particular, since the safety of d-allulose has already been confirmed, it could allow this pest management reagent to be directly mixed with stored-product foods.