ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Methanolic extracts of Solidago gigantea leaves as sustainable antifeedants against a stored pest: Sitophilus granarius
1
Department of Plant Protection, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
2
Department of Food Chemistry and Biocatalysis, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
A - Research concept and design; B - Collection and/or assembly of data; C - Data analysis and interpretation; D - Writing the article; E - Critical revision of the article; F - Final approval of article
Submission date: 2025-07-21
Acceptance date: 2025-10-07
Online publication date: 2026-08-14
Corresponding author
Paulina Bączek
Department of Plant Protection, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
Department of Plant Protection, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
HIGHLIGHTS
- Methanolic extracts of Solidago gigantea deter feeding in Sitophilus granarius
- Chlorogenic acid, quercetin, and rutin were dominant in the chemical profile
- Antifeedant activity varied by extract concentration and weevil sex
- Female weevils were more strongly affected than males in feeding tests
- Findings support the potential of S. gigantea as a natural grain protectant
KEYWORDS
botanical pesticidesecofriendly insecticidefeeding deterrenceintegrated pestmanagementstorage grain protection
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The development of natural insecticides is essential to minimize the adverse effects of synthetic
plant protection products on the environment, human health, and non-target organisms.
Natural bioactive compounds are considered safe, biodegradable, and often more
selective, making them promising alternatives for sustainable pest management. Controlling
insect pests in stored food products remains challenging due to restrictions on the
use of chemical insecticides, which can leave harmful residues. Therefore, identification of
plant-derived antifeedants is a viable solution. This study aimed to evaluate the antifeedant
activity of methanolic leaf extracts from the invasive giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea
Aiton) against the grain weevil (Sitophilus granarius L.), a major storage pest. The chemical
composition of the extracts was analyzed by LC-MS/MS, which identified 12 compounds.
Chlorogenic acid, quercetin, and rutin were found at the highest concentrations, while citric
acid, gallic acid, and kaempferol-3-rutinoside were present at the lowest concentrations.
Antifeedant activity was assessed using the “wheat wafer test” at three extract concentrations
(3.5, 5.0, and 12.0 mg ⋅ ml–1) dissolved in ethanol. The extracts demonstrated medium
to good antifeedant activity against female grain weevils and weak to medium effects
against males. A significant reduction in feeding was observed in most cases, depending on
both the sex of the insect and the extract concentration. Methanolic leaf extracts of S. gigantea
exhibited promising antifeedant properties and may serve as potential natural insect
deterrents. Further studies are required to evaluate their efficacy, safety, and mode of action
under storage and field conditions.
FUNDING
This work was supported by the Wrocław University
of Environmental and Life Sciences (Poland) as part of
the research project no N0N00000/0241/24/2024.
RESPONSIBLE EDITOR
Bożena Kordan
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors have declared that no conflict of interests exist.
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