Pest Management Science (2012) 68, 1546-1552

Shezeng Li, Xixuan Jin and Jian Chen (2012)
Effects of piperidine and piperideine alkaloids from the venom of red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta Buren, on Pythium ultimum Trow growth in vitro and the application of piperideine alkaloids to control cucumber damping-off in the greenhouse
Pest Management Science 68 (12), 1546-1552
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Pythium ultimum is a plant pathogen that causes significant yield losses on many economically important crops. Chemical treatment has been used for disease control. In searching for alternatives, venom piperidine and piperideine alkaloids from red imported fire ants were tested against P. ultimum in vitro, and piperideines were employed to control cucumber damping-off in the greenhouse as drench treatments.
Results Piperidine and piperideine alkaloids of the red imported fire ant significantly inhibited mycelium growth of P. ultimum. Piperidine alkaloids were stable at both room and elevated temperatures. The inhibitory activity positively correlated with the concentrations of piperidine alkaloids in the medium, and the EC₅₀ = 17.0 µg ml⁻¹. Germination of sporangia of P. ultimum was negatively correlated with the concentrations of piperidine alkaloids in the medium, and the EC₅₀ = 12.3 µg ml⁻¹. The piperideine alkaloid drenching treatment significantly improved seedling emergence and seedling height of cucumber.
CONCLUSION: This is the first report describing the use of venom alkaloids from the red imported fire ant to inhibit P. ultimum in the laboratory and the application of piperideine alkaloids to control damping-off disease caused by P. ultimum in the greenhouse. These findings may lead to the development of a new group of fungicides.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Xixuan Jin, Jian Chen

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Solenopsis invicta
	Globisporangium ultimum