Paper Details

Effect of proteinaceous extract of redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) seeds on α-amylase activity of Indian flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Solmaz  Azimi, Rouhollah Amini

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12692/ijb/5.4.170-176

Int. J. Biosci. 5(4), 170-176. August, 2014. (PDF)

Abstract:

Indian flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, Lepidoptera: Pyralidae.) is a cosmopolitan and severe pests of a wide verity of crops. Amaranthus retroflexus (Amaranthacea) on α-amylase activity of E. kuehniella wasinvestigated. Enzyme assays data using spectrophotometer showed that α-amylase activity of the fourth insatr larvae was less than control (untreated with A. retroflexus seed extract), α-Amylase of E. kuehniella had (5.9 mU/gut). Native gel electrophoresis showed that E. kuehniella had four iso-enzymes that their relative mobility to that of bromophenol blue was 0.23, 0.41, and 0.89. This study showed that I50 values of A. retroflexus seed extract on α-amylase of E. kuehniella was 5.0 protein (crude extract), respectively. In gel electrophoresis, pre- incubation of seed extract with enzyme caused disappearance of one band and reduction of intensity of the other bands in E. kuehniella. Therefore, the current study shows that α-amylase inhibitors present in the A. retroflexus seed extract have a good potential to be used in the management program of E. kuehniella.